Sunil Chhetri may have been a trailblazer but Disha Malhotra isnt too far behind. The Delhi girl has become the first Indian woman to be a part of a football club abroad,joining the Mississippi College from August 22 a team in the 3rd division of the NCAA in pursuit of playing professional football. Unlike Chhetri,however,she didnt follow the pro route. The 18-year-old from Karol Bagh,instead,posted her training and game videos from her time with the Insequace Celcio Academy in Italy last year,and invited interest from 21 colleges across the world. Dishas decision to join Mississippi was influenced by coach Daryl Longabaus persuasion and the strength of its football team,which finished third in the American South West Conference. It was also guided by her choice of subjects. Disha will be studying Sports Management under a partial scholarship in the US. Speaking to Sportline after a fitness session with the team,she said,My aim is ultimately to come back and promote womens soccer in India. There is currently not much scope for me as a player in India,but I will definitely want to do something for the others in the future, making her priorities clear. It wasnt easy for her,though,despite supportive parents. Her mother was often exasperated by her passion for the sport. I have three daughters with two of them interested in studies. Only Disha was obsessed about the game, she said. In addition,she had to start a football club in her school before playing for it. Disha always wanted to play football,even at school. But Sanskriti did not have a football side,so Disha went ahead and got one set up by herself, her friend and team mate Aerika Mittal at Chanakyapuris Sanskriti school said. While in school,Disha represented Delhi in the 2007 U-19 Nationals in Pondicherry and the 2008 School Nationals in Goa,before playing for the national U-19 side in the Asian Qualifiers in 2008. That was followed by her Italy stint,where she managed to find a spot in Grifo Femminile a 2nd Division side in the Italian circuit,training against boys to improve physically. On her return,Disha had an opportunity to play in the A division of the Delhi football with the coach of United Young Boys asking her if she wanted to play against the Veterans Club. But at the last minute,she was denied permission,with the officials saying there were no rules that permitted women to play alongside men and expressed apprehension that she might be injured. I came all excited to play,but at the last minute,I was told that I couldnt, she said.
