Fulfilling Football Dreams
Kinga Matusiak, Poland
We have teamed up with the adidas Breaking Barriers Project to share the inspiring stories of 16 Champions across Europe as they advocate for women and girls in sport within their local communities. The first instalment of this series showcases six Champions from the UK, Italy, and Poland who are advocating for the next generation of women in football. Kinga Matusiak is an adidas Breaking Barriers Champion and Football3 Mediator with Train To Be Good in Żytniów, Poland.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about how you got involved in football?
My name is Kinga Matusiak, and I am from Poland. I live in a small village called Żytniów. I have volunteered for Trenuj Bycie Dobrym (TBD) for over two years, and I am an adidas Breaking Barriers Project Champion. My main role in TBD is to organise classes with children where we teach them about equality and respect in sport. We organise various events where children spend time with their friends and learn new skills and knowledge.
At TBD we use Football3 methods as the main tool to work with children. Football3 is a method to help shape the values of children. It is an excellent tool for non-formal education because children learn about fairness and respecting rules all while having fun. Football3 games consist of 3 parts.
The first is pre-match conversation where players and the mediator (because there is no referee) set additional rules. This could be things like a goal scored by a girl being counted twice. The second part is the match, and the third part is the post-match talk. Football3 differs from ordinary football in that, apart from points awarded for winning a match, fair points are also awarded for the goals scored, for observing the previously established rules, and behaviour on the pitch.
What has your football journey been like up until now?
My adventure with football started in elementary school during school sports competitions. I really liked this sport because I got a lot of joy from it, and I could spend time actively with my friends. Even though I come from a small village, I can play football just as well as everyone else. Coming from a small village has been a big barrier for me to overcome because I had less access to organised activities, and there were no football programmes for girls in my village. Football3 gave me a chance to develop my passion for sport.
Why did you start working in your community? Why are you motivated to do the work that you do? Why do you think your work with girls is important?
I started working in my community with TBD because I was impressed by the work my friend Kasia, who already volunteered, was putting into the adidas Breaking Barriers Project. I am motivated to continue this work because we are working to normalise girls and women in sport by providing opportunities to play. I think my work with girls is important because I encourage them to make decisions and give them courage on and off the pitch.
What did you try to capture with your photos?
The photos were taken during the main Football3 event in Gdańsk called Z Football3 Odkrywamy Super Moce and during an event in Rudniki with the adidas Breaking Barriers Project. These photos show children participating in the educational and sports activities that I organised with TBD.
I captured girls playing football with boys to help people understand that this is a great initiative for the development of children and their view of the world. As an adidas Breaking Barriers Champion, I am happy that thanks to sport, we can educate children about cooperation and responsibility.
My favourite photos are those where I can see the children happy and engaged because they show real emotions during our classes and events.
What role does football play in your community and your culture or society? What are some of the prevailing challenges for women and girls in your communities?
Football is important for our community because it is a very popular activity and everyone can play. Football brings a lot of joy to children, and it helps them understand gender equality and teamwork. It is also important to me because when I see children playing together and respecting each other, I feel like I have done my work well.
Women and girls face a challenge to break through as they strive to fulfil their football dreams, especially in the smaller villages of Poland, because football is perceived as a masculine sport. This is why we try to spread sports for women and girls in our community at a local level.
What do you think the future looks like for football in your community and Poland? What do you want to change? How would you improve gender equality?
Football in my community is still growing and developing. I want to change the way some girls see football so that they see it as a sport for everyone, not just for boys. I believe gender equality will improve when children are taught about it at an early age. It should be more widely spoken about amongst adults.
Sport can be a great way to improve gender equality because the Football3 methods have a rule that there must be the same number of boys and girls on the team. There is basically a requirement for girls to participate.
What impact has the adidas Breaking Barriers Project had on your journey as a leader and change-maker in women’s football?
The adidas Breaking Barriers Project has shown me the insecurity that some girls and women struggle with when it comes to playing sports. They often need someone to help show them that they can do anything they would like to do. I am very happy that I could make this journey easier for young children, and I look forward to continuing this work.
Want to join us in breaking barriers for women and girls in Europe? Join the adidas Breaking Barriers Academy here.
