‘Even in tough times community allows us to dig deep and find reserves we did not even realise existed’

I have always been obsessed with sport. From the time I could first run around on podgy legs, my competitive spirit led me to the garden to face the adversary of all adversaries: my big brother, Alexander. His chosen sport was football, so I followed him around until he decided that I could be his protegé, the David Beckham to his Alex Ferguson. They even had the same name.

I loved playing, I loved the challenge, and I loved the fact that women weren’t supposed to play. And so, I practiced: kicking, dribbling, and shooting, it was all so dazzling to me. The way that it could be about the individual moments of glory whilst always being about the team.

When I was old enough to join a team, I was torn between joining a boys’ team and forming a new team filled with girls who found themselves at the vanguard of a social movement. The feeling was amazing. I had only ever played as the anomaly, the one girl surrounded by boys older than myself and often rougher too. This time it was different, I was surrounded by girls like myself who shared my unrelenting passion for football and all it entailed.

Over the years we grew as a team, losing some players and gaining some new ones, but that core essence remained the same, maintained primarily by our female coach and the brilliant female teams we faced. Football was a resource for me, providing me with physical challenges, but also a sense of community and togetherness that I had not experienced anywhere else.

There is truly nothing like standing on a mud-riddled pitch at 9:30 in the morning, freezing to your core, frozen toes, fingers and noses, nothing but a flimsy kit to wrap around, but knowing that you’re going to put your heart and soul into the game for the girls around you, and of course for the unmatched glory of winning.

My beloved football community has positively and powerfully impacted my confidence, my friendships and my future fitness goals. It inspires me still. And that experience of being part of a team meant that there was no pause when asked to join Conscience Collective, I jumped at the chance! 

Through Conscience Collective we draw people together and create networks that bring together women with a similar goal: to make the world a better place. Even in the tough times - times that remind me of the bracing cold before a match, when we were losing 4-0 and felt that there was nothing left to give- our community motivates us to dig deep and find reserves we did not even realise existed. 

Written by Sofia - Conscience Collective