17.06.2020

Women’s soccer: Optional Activities’ lecture debates on equality in sport

Beacon invited soccer player Stella Terra and the CEO of  “Pelado Real” – an exclusive soccer school for girls – Júlia Vergueiro to talk about the theme “Women in Soccer”. The chat aimed to show the difficulties faced by women in the world of sports and the opportunities that may come up.

Both guests told us how it was to walk the path they pursued,  emphasizing that we must never give up our dreams. “Even if you are not able to keep up with the pace of some training very well, always keep in mind that you are constantly evolving and improving. Don’t let this kind of situation shake you up or make you give up sports”, commented Stella.

Throughout the Live, the player told the expectators how important it was for her to conciliate sport and studies and, thanks to soccer, she was able to attend her first Physical Education college. Over a period of four years, she had to move away from sports to pursue another big dream: to study Law. But in the last year of college, she managed to return to futsal, where she developed and returned to the courts.

Stella also highlights how her career affected her personal life and made her who she is today, developing her independence and courage. “It is liberating. The moment we practice a sport, we develop several issues within ourselves that help us in our personal lives”.

When asked what they could suggest for women’s soccer to have more and more strength in the school environment, the guests addressed mainly the question of representativeness and the importance of valuing the sport for everyone. The topic should be included not only in Physical Education classes, but also in the other subjects. “At schools, it is necessary to have something called  “safe space”, which means to create an environment in which the child feels comfortable to participate”, reminded Julia.

The player also adds that the biggest challenge faced by women’s soccer today is visibility, the difficulty of being able to represent a big club that welcomes them and provides an including environment. She also says that there are several obstacles to overcome to achieve something if a girl decides to build this career, but that it is necessary to move forward and that they are indeed on the right path.

“This challenge demonstrates that women’s soccer is often left out. We need this: more women telling their soccer stories to inspire future generations”, concludes Júlia.