Few female players? Schools team up for a shot at football

3 primary schools and 7 secondary schools have set up cluster teams in the last 2 years

- Elisha Tushara

For three years, Gisella Soe sprinted to the void deck of her Housing Board block after school, eager to play football with her neighbours. With no formal training and no proper gear, she played purely for the love of the game.

Now a Secondary 1 student at Naval Base Secondary School, Gisella, 12, finally wears a team jersey. She is one of 33 girls from four secondary schools in Yishun who have come together to form a new football team – a rare tie-up that gives girls like her a shot at the National School Games (NSG).

"Without this team, my school would not have enough girls to form a football team. Now, I am able to receive proper training, improve my football skills, and get the opportunity to represent my school in the national games," said Gisella, who will be playing her first match with the team at the NSG on May 14.

Every Wednesday and Friday afternoon, Gisella and seven other schoolmates head to Yishun Secondary School for training sessions, where they are joined by girls from Northland Secondary and Yishun Town Secondary.

Launched in 2024, this is part of an initiative that allows schools in Yishun to pool resources such as coaches, facilities and staff so students can access co-curricular activities (CCAs) that their own schools may not offer.

Girls' football is currently offered as a CCA at 30 primary schools and 16 secondary schools. Of these, three primary schools – Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School, Chongfu School and Northland Primary School – and seven secondary schools have set up cluster-based teams in the last two years.