My Atoms Are (Probably) Footballs
Emma Tobiasson, Glasgow, Scotland
Goal Click have teamed up with EE to tell the stories of UK grassroots teams born out of adversity - that have overcome hate with hope, with the aim of making the beautiful game more inclusive for all. Because there is a place in football for everyone.
Emma Tobiasson is a coach for Cathkin Blazes, a team founded in Glasgow in May 2021 to give an opportunity for people to (re)connect in the safety of an outdoor space. The club intended to create a space for women and non-binary players to take part in inclusive, free, beginner-friendly football in the park, and form a community for those who have experienced barriers to entry in the past, due to gender, race or sexuality. Based in Govanhill, one of Scotland’s most diverse neighbourhoods, Cathkin Blazes symbolises community and encourages players representing marginalised genders and diverse backgrounds to take up space in sport.
Inspired? To find your place in football, in Scotland, head here.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us how your football life began?
My name is Emma Tobiasson, I am originally from Sweden and have lived in Glasgow for the past five years, studying and working. I am a football coach for Cathkin Blazes, and I also freelance for a production company that works in sports. Outside of that I also write a lot about football and I have a newsletter at badfootballfan.substack.com.
No one in my family is interested in football (like, at all!) but all the siblings were put in teams when we were kids. My brother and I both fell in love with the game and have stuck around. I have always watched Sweden in international tournaments, with the women's team regularly doing very well, which is very exciting. I was enamoured with Rafael Van der Vaart's display at the World Cup in 2010, and that is who I have to blame for being a Tottenham supporter.
What has your football journey been up until now?
As a child, the most difficult moment was when our team did not win a single game in a year and we used to get so upset - you would think after a while that we would get used to it but no, we were still just as sad every time. As we developed and improved, that changed, and is a lesson about the value of perseverance.
However I struggled, like most teenage girls, to bring football with me into adolescence. All of a sudden there were fewer teams, the age differences were more noticeable, and other things demanded attention and priority. I was on a hiatus from playing for a few years. But in the end I found my way back when I was living in Germany (via a men’s 5-a-side team).
That is why I got into coaching, as I want to be part of bridging that gap for people that might have played as kids or never felt like they got the chance to, and who want to pick up football now but might feel intimidated or face high barriers to access.
Being a female football fan has been really hard at times and before I found a fan community with the women’s football team I was playing for, more often than not I was condemned to watching in spaces with men. This is often a rather uncomfortable experience, especially if you are alone.
With Cathkin Blazes there is always someone who is up for a game and we have had many watch parties at our local pub The Ivory (our “clubhouse”, as we affectionately call it), where we watch a lot of football games together, especially during the Euros, which was so much fun.
What did you try to capture with your photos? Was there a wider meaning with the photos?
I wanted to capture the life of our team and what we are about, which is about a social aspect as much as it is kicking a ball around, and having a laugh.
The photos were taken at Cathkin Park, which is our home ground based in the Southside of Glasgow, as well as at a monthly tournament we play at Firhill Complex.
There are many beautiful stories of people without whom this community would not exist and who make up the fabric of who we are with their actions. People who always put their name down to wash bibs, talk to new people coming along, take charge of the warm-up or the pep-talk. Folks who prepare delicious food for our socials, contribute with their organisational skills and bring the laughs on our Instagram.
I love the photo of L heading the ball because it is such a cool shot. There is also a photo of everyone around the benches and the bikes leaning everywhere, because that is what it looks like every week and if you are one of the first people there, getting your bike out afterwards can be a challenge!
What are the opportunities for women's and non-binary players to participate in your community?
Our community is made up of women and non-binary players, who for one reason or another struggled to find a team before or did not know that football was something that they could participate in. Our group has grown very organically by word of mouth, which I think speaks to what a great vibe there is in the group. We keep the sessions free of charge in an effort to make it as accessible as possible.
What role does football play in your life and in your community?
Football permeates every aspect of my life. I am sure that if you would observe my biological makeup on a microscopic level to look at some of my atoms, they might actually just be tiny footballs.
Football is where I found my community, socially and spiritually. Football is my way of understanding the world, and it is also through football that I would like to do my part in making the world a little better than it was before.
It is also where I physically feel the best and I get so much joy out of the simple act of kicking a football. I always come away with a silly big smile on my face from playing, plus you get those miles in your legs without even really noticing!
What impact has Cathkin Blazes had on you? Why is it so important to have an inclusive space to play?
Having a local football community is like having football on tap, there is always someone around the corner who is keen for a spontaneous kick-about, and it has been so amazing forming all of these beautiful relationships on and off the pitch with people.
Coaching for the first time, I have had many moments of feeling really vulnerable and out of my depth, but the team has always been so lovely. I feel completely supported by the team, which is how I have dared to step out of my comfort zone repeatedly - in the same way that I have asked them to - and we have learned new skills together.
I recognise that due to my background of having played as a kid, and generally being a quite sporty person, I have a completely different starting point to many other people. But the fact is that I was still struggling with my confidence as I was trying to get back into football. That realisation was a wake-up call. I was lucky to find a great team in which I could grow and gain back confidence in my skills, and I am so grateful for that chance. This is why I want to pay that forward, ensuring that these kinds of groups and spaces continue to exist.
How important is it for male allies to fight sexist abuse?
Support from male allies is pivotal. The patriarchy (the societal structure through which men hold power over women) hurts everyone: men, women, and other genders alike, through perpetuating hurtful and harmful stereotypes and upholding inequality. Therefore it is really important to understand, educate, and talk about how it is in everyone's interest that abuse and hatred towards women stops.
What do you think the future looks like for you and football in your community? What would you like to change?
The future looks bright, because we have got such a big and beautiful community of people dedicated to each other and to playing football.
My ambition for the future of the team is to ensure that it keeps going, that we have a pitch to play on every week and that we can continue to offer coached football as well as simply a safe space to explore and learn new skills. However, I would like to see more intentional financial investment in grassroots football, on a local and global level!
Series edited by Emma Walley.