An Experiment With Football # 1

Kranti means 'revolution'. We dream of bringing a revolution in the lives of  kids through football in India. We began with a small attempt today afternoon at Tank village, Udaipur. It must be around 25km from the city. A red football -- signifying the color of revolt, revolution was an easy choice to begin with. The belief that the game would bring unadulterated joy, spread lots of happiness and can create a bright future for Indian football have led to this idea --- Kranti Football. 

Tank village was so full of enthusiastic kids. Here I am interacting with them. Most of them had never seen a football. They touched it, felt the smoothness of it, observed how different it was from a rubber ball (they had heard, played cricket). Their eyes had that magical spark -- a spark which is indescribable. I was really happy, when the village girls came around to see what the gathering was about. Our first priority is to form a girls football team --- help them understand the game and play it in later stages. Hope we succeed in it. 

This picture speaks a lot to me. All of them were eager to know what a football is? How is it played? Who runs behind whom? It's difficult explaining all of it at once. We did not have a projector, so Gaurav used a laptop to explain them about the game. I think I just made the wrong presentation to them. Due to my lack of experience, I skipped the basics and was explaining the Beckhams, Rooneys,Ronaldos to them. Gaurav and me, need to make a better presentation next time, simple, basic and lucid enough to understand. We showed them few videos, documentaries of Franz's Yuwa. 

They kept looking at the laptop - it was a wonder-machine for them. Messi shooted the ball into the goal and they smiled. I asked them after a while, how many of them wanted to play and most of the hands went up. The girls were too shy. But who can escape the magic of football ?? They had to join us playing. The decibel level went up, when we switched off the laptop and were ready to kick the ball. 

We were searching for an individual who had fallen in love with the ball. Everyone wanted to have a kick. Trying to divide them into teams. 

These girls were simply awesome being first-timers. They understood that a ball has to be stopped and than kicked in first go. I know it's a long way to go for the dream and all of them, but never the less a great effort to come out of their houses and go for a kick. I see a lot of potential in them. 

It's my mistake -- I forgot most of their names. But here Durga, Indhra, Rippu -- the front three were brave enough to bring other girls into action. On your extreme left, you see Durga -- she has a lot of potential. We are in search of such individuals. Kranti FC would love to encourage 'Durgas' of the country to play football and take Indian football to next level. 

The girls formed a circle and I kept passing them the ball. At first, they were clueless and didn't knew how to kick. The second round of balls were different, they kicked it quite effortlessly !!

Instruction time ------- Stop the ball first, control it and pass it slowly !!

I am going to kick it hard !!

The guys waiting for their turn !!

Trying to balance it, the feet touching the football for the very first time. Is she dreaming today? Does she recall this moment today? Hope she does !!

It starts to rain. Pushkar watches me explaining them how to kick a football the right way. At Tank, most of the guys were artisans. They work somewhere in town and return back to village after 7pm. We did not get to meet them. We are going back again next week to meet other kids and watch them play. Hope it turns out to be better and we get to see great pair of legs at work. 

Kranti FC is an idea right now. Udaipur is a great place to bring it into reality. Over these weeks, we shall go to various villages, encourage girls and boys to play football with us. We plan to form a great team after identifying their football skills and train them under expertise . The search begins to form Kranti FC. Hope its a great journey !!