“I’m a goalkeeper, I just have a good throw,” says a Kashmiri footballer Afshan Ashiq who got catapulted into public consciousness for wrong reasons.

Back in December 2017, a picture of Afshan had gone viral on social media where she was seen throwing a stone at the Jammu & Kashmir police. Everything changed for her after that. “My life has not been the same after that, people know me now, both the good and the bad,” she says while talking to News 18. Afshan story became that of a ‘stone-pelter-turned a footballer’.

What Happened?

Afshan was training women football players at the Tourist Reception Centre ground in Srinagar when demonstrations broke out. According to her, police abused them and slapped her students. In retaliation, she threw a stone. “If they treat us like that, what do they expect from us? I was labelled a stone pelter-turned into a footballer. But I have always been a footballer, that was just one day,” tells the 24-year-old keeper who is playing for FC Kolhapur City in the third edition of the ongoing Indian Women’s League.

While throwing stones at the police, Afshan’s face was covered with a dupatta which is why she thought that people would not be able to recognize her, however, Afshan was wearing the same dress she wore during the protest during her training which helped the sports secretary identify her. But Afshan says that the sports secretary supported her and told her to talk to media and tell them the truth about the incident.

Although the sports secretary was supportive, however, after two months when Afshan’s father came to know about the incident, he forbade her from leaving home for one whole month. Afshan describes that it was a really difficult time for her. She used to beg her mother to allow her to play for just half an hour but in vain. But then one day, when her father saw her crying while having dinner, he permitted her to go out and play again.

Started Her Own Football Academy For Girls

However, the tag of a stone pelter stayed with Afshan, alarming to thwart her efforts in dwelling culture of women’s football in Srinagar. Before starting her academy, Unique Football Girls which had been training up to 150 girls at the TRC ground, Afshan had to convince the local authorities to let the girls use ground for two hours every day, reports First Post.

“We have this mentality that girls cannot play and I used to tell them that give me a ground anywhere, I will train them but they refused. I fought a lot to get the TRC ground from the government to train my girls, but they told me that they will give me Bakshi stadium because that’s all surrounded by Army. However, the parents didn’t want that. They said that boys would come to watch and comment at TRC. I told them that boys used to comment even when I started playing but I got around it and the other girls will too,” says Afshan.

Playing Career

Afshan is currently playing in Mumbai for PIFA. Last year, she played for Jammu & Kashmir, whereas now she plays for Kolhapur. She was conducting coaching in Kashmir but wants to pursue her playing career. Apart from Mumbai state league, she plays 5-a-side and 7-a-side tournaments. They also play for three months for Roots Premier League.

Satpal Singh, her coach from J&K, asked her to sign from Kolhapur. Although she was injured, he told him to play for the experience. So she played for two games, but couldn’t after that. Afshan says, “I want to play for India and this and the Nationals are the only ways to get selected for the national camp.”

According to Business Standard, Afshan will take part in the Roots Premier League, an 8-a-side tournament, next in Mumbai. But she wants to return to the valley and help the girls there to tread her path. She says that the dearth of female coaches and good facilities in the state is increasingly becoming an obstacle in the development of women’s game in the state. Afshan and Nadia Nighat, both D license holders, are currently the only two licensed women coaches from the state. Afshan received formal coaching at Lonestar Kashmir first and later RKFC. She herself played with boys when she was growing up.

“Pulwama and Pampore also have players but there are no facilities for girls to play. They practice the whole year but they do not play a game so they won’t know where they lack. Football has made sure many girls come out of the state to study so that they can play the game. Tanzeela (Afshan’s student) is going to Baroda and she will play football there. There are 2-3 students of mine who play outside. There aren’t many coaches for women’s football. I started my football education under Abdullah Dar but now he’s also aged,” says Afshan hoping that one day Kashmiri women will have a platform to showcase their skills.

“I have asked Real Kashmir, when are you going to start a team? I want to play for a team from my own state,” told Afshan.

Also Read: Kashmir In Chaos: What Are Pellet Guns & How Are They Turning To Be Lethal For Kashmiris?