ROCHELLE JUNIOR

 As-Swaida - For long years, football was associated with men, and female presence on sports fields was absent in many societies. However, intellectual and social shifts in recent years have opened the door for women to prove their presence in this sport.

In the Syrian city of As-Swaida, female players stand out, carrying their ambitions onto the pitch and participating in official tournaments—including the West Asian Championship. Defying war, transportation difficulties, and academic pressures, they present a model of women capable of shattering stereotypes and building their athletic future.

Seventeen Years of Passion

Siba Salim, 22, has been playing football since she was seven years old. She represents the "worker's As-Swaida Sports GYM" alongside her participation with the Syrian national team. She says that football is not just a sport to her, but her identity since childhood, emphasizing that playing the game is not tied to whether a player is a man or a woman; anyone is capable of taking the field and achieving success in it.

She explained that she was studying at the Faculty of Physical Education in Latakia, but security conditions and the war forced her to pause and leave her studies uncompleted. However, she did not give up on her athletic dream and continues her training despite the harsh circumstances, believing that stopping training means distancing oneself from the dream.

Siba Salim believes that women's football has witnessed significant development in recent years, as almost every city now has a women's team, and interest in the game has grown in Syria—reflecting clear progress compared to previous years.

She acknowledges that the path was not easy, as difficulties are always present, but willpower was the most crucial factor for her to keep going. She sends a message to families and society on the necessity of supporting women in various sports and granting them a larger space of freedom, emphasizing that sports were not created for men alone, but are a right for every human being who wishes to lead a normal life.

Football Teaches Life Lessons Beyond Winning

As for 18-year-old player Sarah Jaghami, she started playing football in her childhood and joined the GYM at the age of thirteen before joining the junior national team in 2023, participating in the Asian Championship held in Jordan.

She asserts that the reason for her attachment to football is that it is a sport full of emotions—it teaches a person humility, makes them accept defeat before victory, and gives them the strength to rise after every setback.

Regarding the most prominent challenges she faced, she pointed to psychological pressures and financial difficulties, in addition to having to stay away from her family for a period and her continuous attempt to balance studies and sports. She was also forced to stop playing football for a full year to dedicate herself to her studies; however, She also had to stop playing for an entire year to focus on her studies. However, the suspension of higher education opportunities for students in came as a m As-Swaida ajor setback and disrupted her academic plans. to her and impacted her educational path. She has now dedicated herself to sports because she sees it as an outlet for a way to relieve stress .

Sarah Jaghami directs a message to anyone who doubts women's capabilities, emphasizing that women are capable of success whenever they possess determination and resolve. She also calls on every girl who loves football not to surrender to societal pressures or traditional views, and to keep chasing her dream.

Passion is Stronger Than Distances

For her part, 19-year-old player Reem Al-Saleh began her career in 2019 with Al-Arabi GYM before transferring in 2023 to Workers As-Swaida GYM, where she contributed to her team achieving second place across Syria in the junior category in 2024.

However, her career—like many female athletes—was affected by security conditions that led to sports activities being halted for periods of time. Yet, that did not erase her dream of continuing to play.

She stresses that she chose football because she loved it since childhood, and when the opportunity allowed, she began playing it. She added that one of the main difficulties she faced was the long distance between her house and the pitch, but she continued training herself and developing her level until she was able to persevere.

She notes that her family was her primary supporter, both morally and financially, and they accepted the idea of her frequent absence from home due to training sessions and matches, which gave her an additional drive to continue.

Reem Al-Saleh directs a message to anyone who believes women are incapable of succeeding in football, saying that this game is not exclusive to men, and that a woman can prove herself in it just as in any other field. She also encourages every girl to keep training and not give up, because excellence comes with patience and persistence.