By Abass Jalloh
The Chairperson of the Sierra Leone Women's Premier League Board, Asmaa James Kamara has urged all football professionals in the country to take the upcoming 2022-2023 Women's Premier League tournament seriously.
She made the appeal on Wednesday 14 September at the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Secretariat in Freetown where a two-day seminar was organized to improve the performances of coaches, administrators and sport medics who will be participating in the competition.
“We need you (football association) to take this very seriously because we have never played elite league for women; we have just been organizing football “galas” where they normally do selections for the national team,” she stated.
She mentioned the need for a sober national team that will not only be competing at international level but also winning like the men do.
‘‘We need professionalism in this game, and we want this game to be a difference," Kamara explained.
She said they want the girls to feel safe and satisfied while playing and that they should feel comfortable to meet coaches and other staff.
She spoke of their engagement with various stakeholders six months ago, verifying the teams, understanding the players and managers.
Saturday 24th September 2022 is the scheduled date for commencement of the competition, according to the Board.
12 football coaches - six female and six male, team managers, referees, secretaries, and medical personnel participated in the training, which among other things covered the rules and regulations of football.
Speaking to Politico, Emma Barrie, coach for Alditaya Queens in Koinadugu district, and former FC Kallon female team player said: “I feel proud of myself, and I am happy.I know that I am creating a good foundation for the premier league, and I feel that I have been part of SLFA now, so I am very proud that I will be coaching a premier league team.”
Head Coach for Koya Queens in Port Loko, Umaru “Pikin” Jalloh, said he had been participating in football “for a long time” and played for the country's U-17 national team which participated in Finland in 2003.
He explained that after he had an injury he decided to pursue a coaching career under the supervision of John Keister, the country's national head coach.
“Really I feel good because the team (Koya Queens) that I came up with was a no-division side in 2016,” Jalloh explained, noting that he built the team until they went to division level and the premier league.
The Acting Secretary-General of SLFA, Mohamed Benson Bawoh, while commending the efforts of the women, recalled the time the country hadn’t the opportunity to play an organized female league nationwide.
“So, there is no better time to celebrate women's football than today. We know it is not smooth, but to start any process, change itself is a difficult thing to accept, whether good or bad,” he said.
He said they have resolved as an association to ensure that female football league becomes sustainable.
A Match Commissioner, Prince Saquee spoke of his trust in the composition of the board saying its women members have the capacity which was why they were nominated.He advised that any referee or other professional individual who lacks integrity should be removed from the process.
He also expressed the need for girls with hidden football talent to come forward so they can be absorbed.
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