Derby County women’s Kira Rai admits that she is starting to get used to thinking of being a role model for girls in Britain’s South Asia region.
Rai got off to a good start to the season with Derby, finishing last month with a 3-2 win at Stoke and helping Ewes to fourth in the FA Women National League North as they advance to the Women’s Championship.
The Burton-born Punjabi has now spent more than a decade at the club and is well known in the city. The 22-year-old girl is being supported by Derby County’s support team, the Punjabi Rams, and was recently featured in a new connection for her club in Pride Park.
Rai says it is strange to think that he can give hope to South Asian girls who dream of participating in the game.
“I never thought of myself as a good role model. So far, I just play football because it’s something I love, because it’s my passion,” he said. Sky Sports News.
“But I think I should know that as a South African football player there aren’t many people like us, so I know I’m a face that is probably different from everyone else.
And if a young Asian girl sees my face and thinks “well, there’s someone like me who can do it”, then I’m really happy to help her, I want to encourage her. At the end of the day, if I can encourage other South Asian girls to play football, then it’s amazing.
“As a young South Asian player, it’s not something I’ve ever thought was wrong with me – I’ve always considered it good. If I’m the first to do this or someone else is the first to do it, it can never be bad.
“You have to get everything in your way. Yes, there are a lot of obstacles for you, but what’s the problem with this? This doesn’t matter, you just have to break it. If you break it, it should be a bigger reward than you can imagine.”
Rai’s love for the sport comes from his father, and he started playing football with his siblings as a child, first joining Burton Albion before finding a place in Derby after winning the club as a U10 player.
“There were three or four of us who played in the same school [and all went to trial at Derby], and I was the only South Asian girl there, but, looking back, it never crossed my mind, “she said.
“But I didn’t think of myself as the only girl in South Asia, I just thought of myself as one of the girls and one of the team, and I think it’s been the same throughout my career.
“I’ve been lucky in the teams I’ve been to, from Burton to Derby, no one made me feel like ‘oh, that’s an Asian player’. I’ve always been involved. I feel like I’m alone or anything. I always feel like one of the girls. , which is good. “
Rai teamed up with the 100-year-old Indian Gymkhana in London to take part in a free girls’ game for the weekend, to encourage South Asian women to take part in the games.
This was supported by Sporting Equals and Brentford, Premier League, head coach of the women’s development team Will Blithing led one session a day, along with defending club Rabia Azam.
Derby Rai Winger provided tips, advice and answers to girls of all ages and provided advice to parents on girls football.
The Indian Gymkhana of Tony Singh said Sky Sports News: “We are very proud to host this special free girls event in Hounslow, which is one of the many venues in London, which is why it was great to have Kira Rai and Rabia Azam come to help us.
“You can’t be what you don’t see – and for the girls on the day – they had the opportunity to just watch, and play and spend valuable time with two experienced South Asian female players.”
Youngsters take part in the West London soccer club Indian Gymkhana
Sporting Equals CEO Arun Kang added: “Kira is a very important player in the game, and he played a big part in making this a very special event.
“Most of the girls at the event were from South Asia and we know that women from the region, for many reasons, are very few in this country, very few. There is a lot of work to be done in the air, which is why events like this are very important.”
British people of South Asia in Football
For more information, formats and videos, visit our website South Asians in football on the skysports.com page and stay tuned to Sky Sports News and our Sky Sports digital platforms.
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