One For All, All For One | #KaranganBolaSepak
One For All, All For One | #KaranganBolaSepak by Mutiara Bahir
In my childhood days, I used to watch the Pahang team play at Stadium Darul Makmur, with my dad. Those were happy times and I shall treasure them. Then, I left my hometown for Selangor first to study and then to work. My childhood innocence was taken away from me with the ‘President FAM Sila Letak Jawatan’ commotion. I was not part of the pressure group but I was pretty upset with the Malaysian Football landscape back then. Now, I am happy that Malaysian football can look forward to a better future and I am now a season pass holder of FA Selangor.
“We are playing tomorrow! It will be our first game!” That was how my active journey in football started and I have since tried not to miss a single match of Challo FC since day one of them participating in the social league. How did I land myself there? As the Talent Manager to Aedy Ashraf, who is the President of Challo FC, I got involved in his football team as well.
One day in the not-so-distant past, Aedy and I spoke about the expansion of Challo. We both agreed that we wanted Challo to grow. We wanted to create Challo Football Academy and Challo Football League (where Challo will be barred from participating). In the process, I met a few gentlemen from FAM and MFL as well as padang owners/operators and sponsors. It has been an interesting journey so far. I do get the ‘what’s this girl doing here’ look as football is pretty much a male-dominated world. Talk about trespassing! Along the way, I managed to learn more about football. I am a girl with a big dream blessed to have a football team kind enough to be crazy together.
Challo is just like any other clubs thriving with passion and compassion. The boys started playing FIFA then futsal and later discovered they wanted to venture into football. But not all of them can play the game. Some of them do not even have an inkling about football while a couple had never played before. But as they say, nothing is impossible.
As Challo is a team formed on the basis of friendship and is self funded, we faced a lot of difficulties and challenges. On top of that we were ridiculed, belittled and received provocative comments. To be shouted at and embarrassed at the padang is a usual thing for us, as we know people doubted us and thought that our place is on the screen, not the pitch.
The first time we participated in the Klang Valley League 2018 will always be a bittersweet memory for me. Yes, we were not the champions but it taught us our biggest lesson - never ever lose focus. In joining the Klang Valley League for the second time in 2019, we had to accept defeat again merely because of head to head count. Although we were pretty much upset with the ambiguous rules that led to the frustrating outcome, we were strong enough to try the third time. We made it! We were crowned champions of The District Social League UM Varsity Season 2 2019 which qualified us to Selangor Champions League playoff 2020.
I can’t wait to be at the padang bolasepak again, be it cheering Challo, Red Giants or Harimau Malaya, recording them or just wondering what could have been done differently.
Thank you Aedy Ashraf for giving me a handsome football journey. Thank you Challo for making me part of the family. Thank you Alfazril Awaludin for being my advisor and constantly reminding me about the sense of belonging. I am forever blessed that my dad introduced me to a sport that has so many virtues.
Challo is not just football, it’s passion, friendship and a family. My football journey with Challo will forever remain with me. This pandemic is transient. Together we shall face it until it leaves us for good. After all, the trial we face is never greater than the strength within us. All for one, one for all.
Note from padangbolasepak.com: During the Restriction Movement Order 2020 Malaysia to combat Covid19 - Padangbolasepak.com encourages you from home to write essays about our beloved game of football. Can be anything. Why you fell in love with it? Your first game watching or playing? Friendships forged? Etc. Stars the limit.
500-1,000 / more words.
The objective is simple. Sharing the joy of football. Challenge you to write about the joy you may want to share. As well as keep you occupied and encourage to write. Provided that you have nothing else to do. Email us your essay with a photo attached at contact@padangbolasepak.com & we’ll post on the website as well on social media.
Thank you and take care brothers and sisters.