A soccer coach has appealed to parents to allow their
girls to participate in sports activities.
South Sudan continues to struggle with traditions that
see women’s involvement in football as taboo.
Soni Haret Alfred, the head coach of Yei Joint Star FC,
said girls would get scholarships from sports.
"Parents, let's allow girls to play football because
sports go with education. For example, in Uganda, there are girls who are
graduates because of sports sponsorship,” Haret stressed in an interview with
The Radio Community.
Haret described some of the challenges girls face in
football.
“You may find that a player may sign up for the club, and
if there is training at the club level, you find out that the player is staying
far away, and there is sometimes,’ she said.
“The female clubs are not valued like men. They just
register these girls just for the name, but to put more effort into the girls
is not there.”
She applauded the efforts made by the South Sudan
Football Association (SSFA) in promoting gender equality in sports.
“You find that parents are not allowing their girls to
play football, but now it's coming up through SSFA that has given freedom for
the girls to play football,” she explained.
“Support the girls. If there is equipment to be given to
the boys, it should be given to the girls as well. The football of girls should
not be different from that of men.”
Yei Joint Star FC is one of the local football teams that
is taking part in the ongoing South Sudan Women Football Tournament that
commenced on Monday.
Last week, the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA)
revealed the draw procedure for its 3rd edition of the South Sudan Women's
National Cup 2023-2024.
The teams were categorized into A and B, where Group (A)
includes Mayardit Wounded Heroes, Tiger United FC, Al Hilal FC, and Holy Family
FC, whereas Nile Eagle FC, Yei Joint Star FC, Young Star FC, Muniki FC, Bentiu
City FC (Bentiu), and Al Wehida FC fall in Group (B).