Project “Daminhas da Bola” seeks to educate and train athletes through football

Credit: Disclosure

By: Gabriel Murga – Lupa do Bem / Favela em Pauta

The Daminhas da Bola Project, founded in 2015, in Duque de Caxias – Baixada Fluminense, seeks to coordinate two extremely important issues in the country, that is divided between the male hegemony in football and the education and development of women’s football as a tool for social transformation. 

Brazil also coexists with another contrast. It is the country where the biggest winner of individual awards in football comes from, the player Marta Vieira da Silva – on the other hand, the investment in professional and beginner championships for women is still very scarce, especially in terms of sponsorship and salaries.

The project was conceived and founded by Thaissan Passos, who began her sports career in social projects. Through these projects, she had the opportunity to play soccer, primarily with boys. It was a teacher who took her to her first audition at a club for a female team. 

However, Thaissan’s trajectory on the field began through a social project, and through other sports until she settled on football. For the founder of Daminhas da Bola, the creation of the project “generates the opportunity for girls to be whatever they want”, she says.

Thaissan told Lupa do Bem that the biggest challenge remains “finding supporters so that we can receive more and more girls”. Over its seven years of existence, more than 300 girls have already been assisted and welcomed by “Daminhas da Bola”. Among them is Tainaira, one of the best goalkeepers in the project, an indigenous young woman who, according to Thaissan, will soon be “shining around the world”.

Lupa do Bem had a talk with the founder of the “Daminhas da Bola” project and you can check it out below. 

Lupa do Bem: What were the biggest challenges that women faced when the project started? And now, years later, has the scenario changed?

Thaissan Passos: Many people didn’t believe that girls who played soccer would get anywhere, in fact, people didn’t respect it. The project was created before clubs became mandatory, no one believed that the sport would develop. Nowadays, there is a significant improvement, parents take the girls to training, watch, participate, cheer… Not only the parents, but the whole family, and this is very gratifying for us. The games are also being broadcast on TV, so the girls feel more represented.

Lupa do Bem: Which athletes who have been through the project would point out as future athletes for the Brazilian team, that is currently undergoing a process of renewal?

Thaissan Passos: Without a doubt, we can mention some of our girls. Tarciane Lima is one of them, practiced at Daminhas da Bola, she was called up to the under 17 team at just 14 years old, when she was still an athlete on the project. After spending time at Fluminense, where she was the Brazilian under 18 champion, today she is a beginner in the main team of Corinthians and accumulates calls for the under 20 team, where she was the South American champion now in 2022. 

Luany Rosa is also one of our big stars. She arrived at Daminhas at only 12 years old, where she practiced futsal among several other sports. Her first club was also Fluminense, a club where she was the Brazilian under 18 champion. Today Luany is an athlete of the main team of Grêmio and also accumulates calls for the under-20 team. These calls also led her to become South American champion with the Brazilian under-20 team this year. We believe that both Luany and Tarciane will soon receive a chance in the Main Selection.

Among our athletes, we can also mention the twins Duda and Luiza Calazans. Sisters who also arrived at Daminhas very early and are currently part of the Fluminense under-17 and under-20 team. They became South American champions with the under-17 team in 2022.

Lupa do Bem: What social impact can the project have on the lives of young women from the suburbs they’re from?

Thaissan Passos: Projects that focus only on the development of girls are very difficult to find. Our methodology focuses not only on training athletes, but also on training people. Everything we do is for them to become strong, empowered and independent women, thus being prepared to follow more paths other than sports.

How to support the “Daminhas da Bola” project and keep up with it

Everyone can help by supporting the initiatives that the project carries out to generate income, such as the raffle for soccer shoes and shirts that are held at the institution. The project remains independent, without any public or private support. It is possible to support them through social media.

Thaissan also highlighted that “we can only thank all the teachers of the project, who, voluntarily, have done a wonderful job with our girls. The result of this is that girls are prepared to face any difficulties they might find on their way.”