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Anusha was born in the small town of Atmakur in Andhra Pradesh fifteen years ago to Ramalakshmi and Chandra, two humble farmers. Anusha was inspired by her sisters and their love for sports, especially football.

At the age of eight, she kicked a ball for the first time, not knowing that it would change her life, and by fifth grade, she was learning advanced techniques of the game.  As she got older, Anusha had a clear dream, she wanted to play for the Indian Women’s National Football Team.

In 2018, RDT opened the doors to the Residential Football Academy at Anantapur Sports Village in collaboration with the LA LIGA FOUNDATION’s Women’s Football program. Anusha was one of the first recruits to the Academy, who, with her teacher’s encouragement, joined the team despite her parents’ scepticism.

Aware of the responsibility this entailed and the opportunity she had in her hands, she started working hard from day one. “When I arrived, I was scared and I missed my family a lot. They come to see me once a month and I call them on Sundays,” says the young athlete.

“Little by little, I got to know the people and got used to the academy: my friends are my family now,” says Anusha.

Her routine at ASA begins at 5 AM when she drinks her first glass of milk and goes out to the field to train. At eight o’clock in the morning, after her breakfast, she goes to her college, where she is pursuing Intermediate Education. At 4 PM, she has her second training session until 7 PM. Her evenings are occupied with homework and she spends time with her friends before going to bed.

Her perseverance and effort have earned her merits, Anusha found her spot on the Andhra Pradesh State Junior Football Team and competes in the Junior National Competitions. She also regularly plays for leagues in Bangalore with some of the best players in the country in her category. “The year I first played in Bangalore, I had problems with the language, my English communication skills were weak. At first, we would go to the city to play and then come back, then we started staying for three-month periods, and our communication improved. For the last three years, I’ve been studying their technique and the language. It’s complicated, but I learn a lot of new things,” says Anusha.

In her moments of doubt, she is certain about who to lean on: her coaches, Anjali and Hindu. For the athlete in her, they are the role models.

Through sport, she sees a pathway for the future and the potential to realise her dreams.

Through every training session and match, girls like Anusha embrace their potential, transcending barriers with the power of sport. Showing that when girls score, communities thrive.

Photographer: Katia Alvarez Charro