By Jasbir Kaur | Malaysia |
Steffi Sarge Kaur was recognised for her leadership qualities at the launch of the new Selangor women’s football league.
The 33-year-old national women football and futsal player received the Emerging Leader award at the Football Association of Selangor (FAS) Women’s Super League launch yesterday (20 Nov 2021).
Steffi, a household name in Malaysian futsal scene, recently captained the Malaysian team at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 qualifier’s round in Palestine.
Steffi first donned the national jersey when she joined the football team for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA) in Thailand in 2007.
In 2013, she again came to the regional games in Myanmar, this time with the futsal team which took home the bronze medal. In the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games, she played for the futsal team. Two years later, in 2019, she don the national colours in the FootGolf Asia Cup in Australia.
“I’m thrilled to receive this award,” she told Asia Samachar.
The Women’s Super League is 11 a-side women football competition involving 10 clubs from around Selangor and one team from Negeri Sembilan.
Steffi will play for MBSJ, one of the 10 teams competing in the new league aimed to fill the big gap in women’s football.
At the same event, the Inspire Football award went to Women’s Social Football Malaysia while the Change Makers in Football award was won by Suzana Zakaria.
Also present at the launch was FAS president Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah as well as representatives from women NGOs and members of the footballing community.
In a panel session discussing the future of women’s football, Steffi acknowledged that women’s football has recently received more media coverage compared to the past years. For example, she noted that the women’s team game in Palestine was the first ever match to be telecast live by Astro Arena.
“There is much more system in place for women’s football compared to the past. I’m glad people are beginning to notice us. There’s a lot of talent and potential out there. Please support women’s football. Parents, please encourage and allow your girls to play football,” she said.
Sharing its three-year plan, FAS said it plans to expand the league to 20 teams with three age categories, with the goal of making it a huge component of the women’s football ecosystem in Malaysia.
FAS aims to provide the right and safe environment for women and young girls to compete in a structured, quality and competitive footballing platform.
FAS has conducted two coaching courses and trained six women referees who will be involved in referring the FAS Women’s Super League which kicks off on 29 November 2021 at Radia Arena in Bukit Jelutong. The inaugural games will see FC Swat playing against UiTM in Group A and Leopard FC against MBSJ in Group B. Matches will be played weekly, every Monday, at 8pm and will run all throughout December. The finals is scheduled on 19 January 2022.
But this does not mark the end of the Women’s Super League. FAS plans to continue championing women’s football with more coaching courses in the coming year, and targets to produce 20 more female referees by 2023.
This is a crucial step as these women referees and coaches form the backbone to support clubs and teams involved in women’s football, from grassroots to professional levels.
The opportunity for change in women’s football will see FAS working alongside NGOs and volunteers to fulfill the four pillar pledge: Equal accessibility to football for women, Realising Women’s potential in football, Enhancing messaging and promotions, and Safe environment for Women’s Football.
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