In a quest to combat social ills facing women, a passionate football coach has started a sports club in Hanover Park.
Registered as a Safa D licence trainer, Gasant Abbass introduced East End United Football Club, earlier this year, with the mission of getting as many women involved in sport as possible.
A former referee, Abbass has over 12 years of experience serving football on a provincial and national level.
He did, however, come across a growing concern about health and female role models in his community.
“Parents were very happy to hear that their girls were making new friends and all doing something together that they all enjoy. Some parents are overprotective which is a very good thing and want to know more about the sport. I assured some of the opportunities for girls in the sport and they have so much more to learn. We are training three days a week to get the girls up to par with the rest of the other teams playing in the league,” he said.
He retired as a referee and took on coaching full time. East End United is supported by 200 community members and it has registered 30 female players.
“Some girls played with the boys as I did not have an all girls team at the time. I would let the girls play in other teams too, like Bright Stars and Ladies Spurs because I didn’t have a only girl’s team at the time. Many girls did not like being in a boys team and some thought it was best to just stay away,” he said.
“In 2022 I decided to move the East End United FC to Hanover Park Local Football Association and saw that the opportunity to create a new girls team by registering a regional women’s development team. I approached some girls in the community and asked them if they would like to join my club to open an all girls team. Today I can gladly say that I have registered over 30 players for the team of which 23 is still active,” said Abbass.
East End United finished in the top five of the Regional Women’s Development League this season. Abbass says they hope to participate in the Safa Cape Town Coca-Cola Cup as well as win the league next year.
East End United has 10 teams active, from the under-8 right until the senior teams.
Abbass says he is open to support with coaching staff, players as well as monetary and equipment support.
“This has been a very challenging season for me, as I had to coach the girls and boys team. It’s a struggle with coaches for the various teams as the club is growing every year. The cost of running a club is extremely expensive, because I fund the club myself and most of the children’s parents can’t afford to pay, so many of the kids would just stay away, they don’t have money to come and play on a Saturday which is very sad and heart breaking,” he said.
“Many children are being passionate and very excited about soccer and I hope to make our club the biggest development club in the area,” said Abbass.
Team captain, Zharne Desember joined the team at the beginning of the season. Five years ago when she played football, coach Abbass used to give her a lift to the sports field. When she heard he started a club, she joined him without hesitation.
“It’s really been great to have a lot opportunity. It feels more like a family coming together and creating this bond. We have a lot of youngsters that look up to me and I have a lot of elders that guide me. So it is a team effort,” said Desember.
East End United pl
ayed their last game of the season against New Age, at the Downberg sports complex in Hanover Park, on Saturday, October 29.
To find out more about East End United, contact coach Gasant Abbass on 0785907367 or email gasant.abbass@gmail.com
