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FOOTBALL ace Estelle Johnson has spent a week conducting skill clinics and meeting and greeting sports-lovers at different schools and clubs across the island in a bid to inspire the next generation of players.
The 29-year-old defender who plays professionally in the US for the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Washington Spirit Club visited the kingdom on a US Embassy cultural exchange programme.
The visits were also coordinated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Bahrain Football Association which has seen competitive women’s football grow in popularity in recent years.
“I was in Bahrain to spread some love through football, to give information on how sports can add positivity to your life and to encourage people to play the game,” Johnson told GulfWeekly. “The American Embassy set up a bunch of clinics and school visits for me to meet with the children and encourage them to stay involved.
“It all started when I received a call from the US State Department and I was like: ‘this sounds awesome, count me in’. I am there!”
The star defender and her sister, Ester, 32, touched down in Bahrain on February 2 and their motivational journey began. She met with students between the ages of eight and 17 attending Modern Knowledge School, the British School of Bahrain, St Christopher’s School and LYCEE Francais MLF where she gave inspirational talks, telling her own sporting story to encourage others to participate in activities and to work hard to achieve their goals.
Johnson said: “In the mornings, I’d go to the school, hang out and teach them a few skills and then we would play.
“When I was growing up, all I did at recess was play. I used to play in my backyard every night too and I guess didn’t even realise that I was in effect training for my future because I was having so much fun.”
During her visit to Bahrain Johnson held coaching clinics at Tekkers Academy, Super Soccer Academy and Juffair’s Al Najma Club.
Johnson also attended the Bahrain Football Association’s Women’s Cup Final along with the recently-appointed US Ambassador Justin Siberell, whose children are great football fans, although back home they call the game ‘soccer’ so as not to be confused with one of their other national ball game passions.
BFA President Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and head of the BFA Women’s Committee Sheikha Hessa greeted them.
Johnson says she ‘thoroughly enjoyed’ the match, which witnessed Blue Pearls lift the trophy after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Muharraq Tekkers, and she helped with the medal presentation ceremony afterwards.
Johnson said: “I was super impressed by the standard of play and the match was intense which is exactly what a cup final should be like!”
The evening before she bid her farewell to the kingdom she found to be friendly and hospitable, Johnson chatted with the Ravens ladies team at Juventus Academy Bahrain’s base at Saar Cultural Sports Club and even played a game with them.
The players then enjoyed a question and answer session with their star guest. Her message to them was simple: ‘never miss a practice and always put in the work if you want the glory’.
Johnson said: “Players that are passionate and want to make a career out of the sport have to keep working hard. They must be prepared for match day by never missing a practice, get tons of sleep and don’t let other people work harder than you.”
According to the record books, last season Johnson led the back line with 66 interceptions and 49 tackles over the course of 20 games played. Johnson also made an impression in the possession battle and on the attacking side, making a team-high 1,159 touches on the ball while scoring the first two goals of her NWSL career. She netted her first goal on July 16 against the Houston Dash and on August 12 with a sixth minute strike against the Boston Breakers. She has also played for the Western New York Flash and Sydney FC of Australia’s W-League.
Bahrain footballing artist Ramah Al Husseini, 29, who lives in Bu Quwah, said: “I was really excited to meet a professional who plays in my position. She was really informative and I learned a lot.
“To know that she is my age and is a pro is really cool. I love her passion and drive. She told us how at the age of 24 she retired as she had one last semester at university to complete and as soon as she graduated she realised how much she missed playing football. Her coach took her back and she hasn’t looked back since.
“It’s inspiring to see her play as well. She loved that we girls ranged in age just like her team and she expressed that it doesn’t matter how old we are, or at what fitness level we may be at, what makes the difference is the passion we have.
“When she played with us, she showed us how to calmly control the ball and pass. It was a great session.”
When asked what Johnson would do if she couldn’t play football, she did say maybe a PE teacher or something involved with sport but that she could never give up football.
For cultural reasons, many of the women playing football in Bahrain are pioneers and had had to convince their parents and partners about their passion for the game.
The same was true for the American. “My dad Jerry, who, although always super supportive, used to say ‘you need to get a job’. But, the longer I stuck with it, the more he enjoyed watching me play. I swear every game now he says that’s the best game he’s ever seen me play!” said Johnson.
“Also, the NWSL is the toughest and, in my opinion, the best women’s league in the world. The toughest players I’ve ever faced are Marta and Christen Press.”
Striker Marta Vieira da Silva, better known as Marta, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for the Orlando Pride in the league and the Brazil national team. Press also plays up front and is the current FIFA Women’s World Cup champion. She plays for the Houston Dash and for the US women’s national soccer team.
Johnson added: “Marta is amazing. She is a five-time FIFA World Player of the Year and we are happy to have her playing in our league. The competition is insane. As for Press, she is one of the best forwards in the world.
“It is also my dream to wear a US jersey or an African team jersey as my mum Djeneba is from Mali and I was born in Cameroon.”
Johnson, who recently recovered from a knee and leg injury, flew back to the US last weekend to prepare for the league’s preseason games. She said: “Bahrain was my last hoorah and, hopefully, I’m back on the right time zone by the time we start.
“Essentially my entire year is committed to a seven month long season and every week knowing that I’ll be playing on Saturday. So I train, train and train to try and win.
“Unfortunately, I have lost in two NWSL Championships that I’ve competed in and haven’t won once so maybe this will be the year!”
Last year, Johnson was voted as the 2017 Defender of the Year which she says was a huge honour especially as she was playing a new position
“It was great. I was playing a new position and I was super nervous about it because I had gone many years playing centre back. It doesn’t seem like a big change from centre to full back but it is. It’s like you having to learn how to attack and you are constantly up-and-down the pitch all game long. At centre back, you are the one who holds down the defence so for most of the game you don’t have to sprint around the whole time.”
In her third season, Johnson led the back-line with 66 interceptions and 49 tackles over the course of 20 games played. Johnson also made an impression in the possession battle and on the attacking side, making a team-high 1159 touches on the ball while scoring the first two goals of her NWSL career. She netted her first goal on July 16 against the Houston Dash and on August 12 with a sixth minute go-ahead strike against the Boston Breakers.
Before that, she played for the Western New York Flash as well as the Philadelphia Independence of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) and Sydney FC of Australia’s W-League.
