PANJIM: “Football is my love and I will support it. Everyone should leave aside their differences and work for the betterment of the game”, said Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the launch of first-ever Vedanta Women’s Football League at a city hotel in Panjim, on Monday.
“Indian football requires a lot of energy to cross the threshold line. We need to improve on our techniques and training,” Parrikar added.
GFA President Elvis Gomes speaking on the occasion said, “Women’s Football League is an initiative of the Goa Football Association (GFA) and Vedanta to promote the Goan football eco-system at large”.
Elvis further requested the CM to provide access to the Association to all the grounds in the State so that the infrastructure developed for the game is utilised to the fullest.
The launch of the women’s league coincides with the day Goa were crowned the Women’s National Champions in 1977 for the first time nearly four decades ago.
The veteran women football players were felicitated on the occasion. Vijayadevi Rane, who was the president of the Goa Women’s Football Association in 1977, stressed on the importance of tapping talent at the school level to achieve better results.
“The women players in the league are the future champions of Goa and India,” the Chairperson of the Women’s Committee, Goa Football Association, Juliana Gurjao e Colaco added.
Arjuna Awardee, Brahmanand Sankhwalkar told the players to sacrifice for the cause of football and said that the league would be a supply chain of players in future for the Indian football team.
The Women’s Football League will begin on Saturday, November 18, at the Duler Stadium, Mapusa. The six teams who will participate are Flaming Oranje, Panjim Dolphins, Cuncolim Warriors, SCC Sows Football, Goa Velha Saints and Albert’s Princesses (Albert Developers SC). The players have been selected through a draft system.
