“Ladies first” is a common adage that we use in our day-to-day life even though not many mean it. However, this article is about a “first lady” who put real meaning behind it. The first lady to sign a professional contract with an Indian football club, Anjitha is a trailblazer carving a path for the next generation.
Anjitha, the former Kerala Blasters player, has signed a contract with Gokulam Kerala and will soon take charge as the video analyst for their women’s team. The girl from Kasaragod passed the Level I course conducted online by the Professional Football Scouts Association (PFSA); a firm based in the UK. The course consists of Opposition Analysis, Performance Analysis, and Data Analytics.
At just 23, many would have expected her to continue as a professional player for at least a decade before switching to any other allied job. However, after careful consideration, Anjitha decided to make a strategic career move which also reflects her keen understanding of the evolving football landscape in India.
“I always wanted to attach myself to football“, Anjitha explains. “Considering the prospects, I realized this is the ideal time to switch to this job. My coach Nidhish and my family have been incredibly supportive.“
Anjitha has been connected with football from her early childhood. The interest developed while attending the local matches with her father who is also a footballer. The major break for her as a player came in 8th grade as she started to train under Mr. Nidhish in the Women’s Football Clinic. Women’s Football Clinic, a football coaching program for girls, has unearthed many talents and the graduates have represented state and national teams across various age groups. Several of its graduates, including Anjitha herself, Arya Sree, Arathy, Aswathy, Malavika, and Krishnapriya, played for the Kerala Blasters in the 2022-2023 Kerala Women’s League.
“I represented senior and junior Kerala teams and won the school games for Kerala”, Anjitha continued. “While playing for Calicut University, I got an offer from Kerala Blasters. I had signed a three-year contract with Kerala Blasters and represented them in Kerala Women’s League. The tactical knowledge I learned from the stint at Kerala Blasters is incomparable. Coach Shareef Khan and other staffs helped me a lot. That one year taught me so much about football. In fact, I learned about the option of video analysis from Anand Vardan (Video Analyst, Kerala Blasters Reserves)”.
After the disbandment of the Kerala Blasters women’s team, Anjitha played one season with Mumbai Knights FC on loan in the Indian Women’s League before embarking on her current path.
“I contacted Gokulam Kerala, and after an interview, I was thrilled to be offered the position,” she said. “They are a highly professional team, and I’m excited to join their team in August.”
“I want to see myself as a part of the Indian team in the next 5 years. For that, I need experience and a Level III certification, and I am confident that I will attain both in due course of time. The next step would be to work for top international clubs”, Anjitha concluded.
Whatsapp Group of Athletic India
