In football, where financial success is often limited to big clubs and big-name players, numerous individuals work day in and day out with limited financial returns. Lower-division coaches in India have always found it difficult to have financial stability. However, they persist and churn out talents because of their passion for the game. Most conduct camps, arrange jerseys, purchase balls, etc., with their money, and only a very few get sponsorships. One such individual is Ajith, a twenty-two-year-old from Kollam, Kerala. Ajith’s journey as the coach of Scorepio FC will be the focal point of this article.
Ajith, just like any youngster who has an interest in football, wanted to be a player. However, a spinal injury that he suffered while attending a trial forced him to take a break from football. Because of the financial situation of the family, he had to go for daily wage jobs after recovery and he couldn’t pursue a career as a player then. Despite that setback, he wanted to remain in football and decided to pursue coaching as a career. Scorepio FC, a women’s football club, is his dream project.
“I was 19 when I started coaching players. At the request of one of my friends, I made a team to participate in the tournament organized by LBSM Academy, Thrissur for girls. We had to face some disastrous results but the coaches there appreciated me for making the effort to make a team from scratch”, said Ajith.
“I had no prior experience in coaching and I had no one to ask for help either. However, I was determined to learn, and many things I learned in the process. I worked as an assistant for coaches in local clubs for experience and slowly I learned the basics. I intended to provide a good coaching platform for the girls in my community as they hardly have any options”, Ajith continued.
Ajith later got an opportunity to attend a coaches workshop organized by Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools. Later, he attended their workshop conducted in Delhi. He then went on to complete his AIFF D License from Haryana.
“Many demotivated me to take a career as a coach as I was young. Some even made fun of me. Nevertheless, I was determined to provide the best possible training for the girls. If ten boys are training in an academy, then there will only be two girls. That’s how bad the ratio is. Today, around 30 girls train with me at Scorepio FC and all of them are under 18 years of age”, Ajith sounded positive.
His dreams are not limited to Kollam as he wishes to spread his initiative to other districts of Kerala.
“We conduct coaching camps for the girls free of cost. Most of the Scorepio FC players are from very humble backgrounds but they have fire in their bellies. I also arrange sponsors for tournaments and even help them with their diet. I also make it a point that we attend the maximum number of tournaments,” Ajith said.
Ajith also comes from a very poor background. He mortgaged his bike to fund his camps and he has to take care of his ailing father. He also does daily wage jobs to make both ends meet.
“We even conducted some All Kerala women’s football tournaments. When players from Thrissur came for our tournaments, we arranged them meals also. Not that we had funds for food, we brought one meal each from our home.”
Ajith has now the opportunity to work with the Young Blasters project of Kerala Blasters. Despite facing numerous obstacles, including financial hardship, Ajith remains determined to provide his players with the best possible training. His passion for the game is infectious, and his dedication to his players is inspiring. Who knows, we may see Scorepio FC in the Kerala Women’s League a few years later.
