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TRI Continental Film Festival - Dona Paula, Goa, Sep 28 - Oct 2, 2007 http://www.moviesgoa.org/tricontinental/tricon.htm For public viewing Registration at The International Centre Goa Ph: +91 (832) 2452805 to 10 Online Media Partner: http://www.GOANET.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Role Model for Indian Girls FIFA referee Maria Rebello By Armstrong Augusto Vaz Panaji Sept 12, 2007: Maria Rebello, from the western state of Goa, is one of three women FIFA referees from India. A former international player, Rebello wanted to take her association with the game to the next level -- refereeing. In her new role -- she officiated her first match in April -- she has become a role model for young girls around the country. Maria has come a long way -- from watching football action at her village playground to playing with boys at a young age and, years later, catapulting to a place on the state women's squad. She is now enjoying the fruit of her hard-earned labor -- the pinnacle of her sporting career -- a FIFA referee's badge. Her journey to the football field started as a toddler, catching the hand of her father she would cry to go to the football matches in Curtorim village with him. When she was six, Maria would kick the ball around with the village boys. In conservative India few girls take up sports and fewer still carry on in the sporting tradition what with the lack of opportunities and hurdles in a girl's path. For Maria the initial fire in her for the game was started by her selection to the state junior squad in bizarre circumstances. "Destiny has something in store for us, we plan something but destiny takes a different route," says Maria of her first big break. In 1987, she was coaxed by her neighbor and friend Sarita to have a go at the selection trials for the state girls' junior team. Maria got the selector's nod while her friend could not. Maria recalls that at the time she did not know what "position" in football meant and when coach Alexinho Fernandes asked her which position she would like to play she had replied, "I want to score goals and goals." But coach Alexinho suggested that she play in the midfielder's role as she had good ball control. >From there she steady progressed from the state junior squad to the senior squads of both Goa and Maharashtra and, ultimately, to the India squad. Maria represented the country on six occasions and captained the squad once. For added inspiration, two of her brothers played for the top clubs in Mumbai and Goa. Asked, whether she has any more goals after getting her FIFA badge, Maria shot back, "human beings' goals are unlimited," and then added that as of now she would "take the challenges as they come." Maria became the first Goan woman referee in Mumbai in 1999. Subsequently, she was appointment as a referee in Goa then was elevated to a class II referee in her home state. "I paid more attention to the job with the help and encouragement from my parents and Mumbai-based referees -- S. S. Shetty, M. Suvarna, Antonio Pinto, assistant FIFA referee Walter Pereira," Maria said. It was the elite WIFA Mumbai league that exposed her to the competitive arena of refereeing. "The matches helped me a lot in many ways. I learned the finer points of officiating and also about the levels of fitness required. I became very serious about the job," Maria said. For six years prior to becoming a FIFA referee, she officiated men's matches assisted by two assistant referees. When asked about the difference officiating men's and women's matches Maria said that as men's football moves are more organized it is easier for the referees but women's football sometimes takes a hit and run format, which is quite a challenge for the referees. Her advice for Indian women is to take up sports to keep fit and healthy as sports activity gives one a younger look. Taking the rough with the smooth is something every football official learns along the way. Maria has had her share of flak over the years. But she has made it a point to learn from her mistakes and move along, not allowing the setbacks to pull her down. (ENDS) The Armstrong Augusto Vaz column can be found at: http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=919 ======================================================================