It is 2018 and still, people are far from letting go of their mentality that girls can’t play certain sports even when they are proving every step of the way that they can. Well, breaking this mentality with her brilliant performance is Srinagar’s female rugby player Irtiqa Ayoub who is overcoming the political climate in the state, the general lack of encouragement, and inadequate resources to fulfill her passion.

“A few years ago, I had no idea what rugby was, or even what the ball looked like. It was only when our coach in school encouraged me to try it out that I found I loved the game,” Ayoub recalled.

She started playing rugby at the age of 16 and currently trains young girls and boys in the sport but the road to the present was paved with many hurdles.

“To begin with, my father wasn’t very supportive of me playing rugby. To add fuel to the fire, people would talk. They would pass comments whenever I went to practice,” she said.  But all this changed when she won a silver medal for Rugby 7’s in 2016 and 2017, and a gold medal for snow Rugby in 2017. Some of the whispered judgments transformed into loud praise and appreciation for her skills, although some still comment that she only plays for the media attention.

But all that matters to Ayoub is the fact that her father is supporting her now and understands her passion for rugby. A few years ago, she had the opportunity to play for India but she had to miss it as her family wasn’t supporting her.

“There is a lot of rugby talent in Kashmir; all we need is for our families and the government back us. It’s extremely important for parents to not only allow, but also encourage their children, especially girls, to play whichever sport they choose to play,” she said.

As now she has the long cherished support from her family, Ayoub, while running a club where she trains girls to make it to the nationals, still desires to represent India one day.

H/T: Femina