[VIDEO] Female coach wants M’sian sports to offer balanced, safer environment for all genders

KUALA LUMPUR – Keshika Subbarao − the coach in one of Klang Valley’s leading youth football academies, FC Kuala Lumpur − wants the sports fraternity to provide a more balanced and much safer environment for all genders.

Speaking with The Vibes, she said that women, especially, have always been on the receiving end of harassment, bullying, discrimination, and intimidation whenever they work in a male-dominated industry such as football.

As the head coach of the first team, Keshika expressed that the football industry needs to create safe spaces for more women to work in the industry.

“In the past, no matter where I worked – in many different places all over Malaysia as well as abroad – I found that there exists a very toxic culture (in sports) towards women,” she said.

Citing FC Kuala Lumpur as an exception, Keshika said she feels safe and comfortable in the club doing what she does best.

The Ipoh-born football aficionado is convinced that more places in Malaysia prioritising the safety and wellbeing of women in football would make a massive difference in the sport’s development within the country.

“Despite local football associations encouraging women to take part at the grassroots level, I believe there would be more participation (from women) if awareness of discrimination towards women were to be increased as well,” she added.

“When it comes to women’s involvement in sports, it is also important (for football associations) to promote gender equality and female empowerment as it could bring positive change to our society.”

She said that more participation from women in football will encourage a bigger pool of talent identification − not only for football players but also for coaches as well − at the grassroots level, which helps with the overall development of the sport.

“I think it’s important to have a safe environment for women in sports so they can push and reach their full potential without having to worry about safety and other similiar aspects. It is very mentally, emotionally, and physically taxing to have to deal with those factors and be expected to focus and excel in what we want to do.

“Women in sports are also often held to higher standards than men, which makes it incredibly difficult to do our jobs or hobby,” said Keshika.

Currently, the 27-year-old has 25 male players under her team − FC Kuala Lumpur First Team.

Keshika, who has been deeply passionate about football from a very young age, was greatly influenced by her father − a semi-professional footballer.

Realising there were barely any opportunities for school girls wanting to get seriously involved in football, Keshika went a different route and got into football writing.

She wrote and submitted sample articles to several European-based football magazines and media outlets at the age of 14.

Eventually, her efforts paid off as quite a few organisations requested that she write articles for them on a weekly as well as on a monthly basis.

At just 17 years of age, Keshika decided to move to Europe after being offered the opportunity to pursue her A-level studies and a law degree at Anglia Ruskin University in England.

There, she continued her writing career for sports media, such as Britain’s Football Talk and Oxford United Football Club.

Armed with a significant amount of coaching experience and numerous certifications under her belt, Keshika will now be launching her own football academy, Little League Putrajaya, early next year to develop youth talents.

“The academy is open to everyone regardless of background or gender. 

“I think coaching is not gender-based at all. I think your gender doesn’t make a difference in how you coach. 

“Opening this academy is the next step in my career. I want to share my love and passion for the sport with as many kids as possible and to do it in a safe and fun environment,” Keshika added. – The Vibes, December 14, 2021