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Three different individuals with different backgrounds but all having a common goal: to play for national football team and fulfill their parents long cherished dreams. Sonia, Preeti Antil and Raveena despite coming from a region which is not known for producing quality female footballers, made everyone take notice of their playing skills as the trio not only helped the Haryana team enter the final of the Junior Nationals for Girls, but also made their way into the camp for the Indian team at Lucknow to prepare for the AFC Under-19 women's qualification round to be held in Dhaka (Bangladesh) from September 20 to 24.
Looking at the team's superb run in the tournament, it was only but evident that the AIFF scouts would pick some girls from the Haryana team also. "This is a perfect opportunity for us to realise our long cherished dreams. Our parents want to see us play for India and hopefully this tournament will give us the much needed confidence to do well during the camp. We have been waiting for this chance for long," said Sonia, who is from Yamunanagar district.
On Friday, despite their loss to Manipur in the final, the trio justified the faith the selectors had put in them by coming up with good performances against the North-East giants and showed they were good enough to be in the camp.
Preeti, who plays at the centre-half position and played an instrumental role in her team's run to the final, surprised the strong Manipur team when her curling free-kick grazed the opposition team goalkeeper's hand into the net.
"It was a good feeling to score in the final, and that too against a strong side like Manipur. Hopefully many more such goals would come if I am provided with opportunities," said the Sonepat eve, who will be attending her maiden national camp.
Meanwhile, Raveena who was impressive under the bar, made some good saves and earned appreciation from Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who announced Rs 51, 000 as an award for her performance in the tournament.
Football connectionSoni's foray into football began when her brothers Pradeep Kumar and Ashok, both national footballers, motivated her to play football. And it was under their guidance and all the hard-work she made her with brothers on the field that Sonia blossomed into a talented centre-half.
"Apart from studies, my parents also wanted me to learn a sport for recreational purposes and I chose football because it was a natural choice given the fact that our family was closely associated with the sport. After 2003, I became serious about football and then my big chance came when I played in the Under-17 nationals which were held in Ooty," said the diminutive player, who idolises Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.
On the other hand, Raveena took to football after kicking the ball around with her neighbours. Soon, her interest in the game grew and she shifted her positions before finally settling for goalkeeping.
"When I started playing football in 2004, I played as a striker, then I shifted to midfield and in 2007, I took to goalkeeping. I am comfortable under the bar and that was also what my coaches and fellow players told me," said the 15-year-old. It was as a forward that Raveena played her first nationals for the Haryana team in the Under-14 National Championship at Rai, Haryana.
Last but not the least, Preeti was motivated by her sister Raj Rani, a national player, to join the sport after watching her sister slug it out in the field for several hours.
"I started playing football with my neighbours first and then I played with my sister. The next moment I realised I could not live without playing football. That was in 2003. The very next year I played in the Under-16 nationals in Chandigarh in 2004 and the journey has been very fruitful till now. Like Sonia and Raveena, I also want to represent India and make my parents proud," said Preeti.
Meanwhile her coach, Balbir Singh, asserted that Haryana football is slowly on the rise and it was evident from the stellar performances of the girls in the championship.
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