Meet the champ on & off the field

Manjunath Hadimani | NT

A football enthusiast in India will know that women’s football is making a good move in the right direction. Karnataka Women’s League (KWL) is the best foot forward in this direction. The state-based super division league is one of the best in the country and Kickstart FC has been the best club so far.

They lifted their 3rd successive KWL trophy in the recently concluded fourth season. One of the main reasons for their domination is the 20-year-old forward Kaviya. She scored 17 and 15 goals in the last two seasons playing a major role in Kickstart lifting the trophy.

“Winning the KWL for the 3rd time was great. Feels wonderful to be part of such a squad. After losing the 1st leg of the final, we couldn’t accept the defeat. Coaches motivated us and made us believe that we can turn it around in the second leg. Captain Margaret Devi was never short of belief too. She lifted the team by cheering we have to play like the champions,” Kaviya said in an exclusive interview with News Trail.

Hailing from Mannargudi, a town in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvarur District. Kaviya was passionate about playing football from the age of 12. It all started when she watched the boys play football. She was also willing to play but was not allowed by her parents. Breaking the odds, she went for selection trials and got selected for her school team. Even though her parents denied her playing, she never stopped. She starved for days, didn’t go to school, to make them understand how passionate she was. However, her mother agreed and has been a huge supporter but her father is still ‘not OK with it.’

From there on Kaviya played U-14 and U-17 for Tamil Nadu. But she feels she didn’t get the recognition that she deserved. She was 17 when she met Kalidasan, the director of Kickstart FC, who is the reason behind the champion Kaviya today. After which she became part of the India U-19 camp as well.

Now, she is the Guardian Angel of the family. Pays bills for her sister’s studies and looks after her brother who’s differently- abled.

Inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo and thriving hard to represent India, Kaviya trains four hours a day; and an hour of fitness training. She credits her success to the mantra “hard work and dedication.”

Local star gives a piece of advice to youngsters— “Don’t listen to the noise outside, listen to the silence within and strive hard to work towards your goal.”

“Kickstart has been more than a family to all players. We don’t just play football. We cook, we dance, we have fun. Once a player ate 50 momos,” exclaimed the coy, trendsetter smilingly.

“Kaviya is a hard-working girl. Mentally strong. Dedicated to playing football at any cost,” says Shekar, Founder Chairman of the Kickstart FC.