Ranchi Football Coach's Rural Mission Creates National Champions
In the rural heartlands of Ranchi district, a former footballer has been quietly revolutionizing women's football in India through a grassroots coaching initiative that has transformed hundreds of young lives. What began as a modest training program with just 15 trainees in 2013 has blossomed into a remarkable success story that challenges social norms while producing elite athletic talent.
From Humble Beginnings to National Recognition
Anand Gope, a district-level footballer with a coaching certificate from the prestigious National Institute of Sports (NIS), launched his mission at Charihujir village in Ranchi's Kanke block. His vision extended beyond mere football training - he aimed to nurture rural talent while fundamentally transforming the outlook of young girls and actively preventing child marriage in the community.
Over the past twelve years, Gope's initiative has expanded significantly, now boasting a strength of 250 trainees across multiple centers in Vikas and Dublia villages. Remarkably, 200 of these trainees are girls who might otherwise have faced limited opportunities in their rural settings.
Producing Elite Football Talent
The impact of Gope's coaching center has been nothing short of extraordinary. His trainees have achieved remarkable success at various competitive levels, including representation in state teams for national school competitions, participation in the prestigious Khelo India Youth Games, and selection for FIFA Under-17 and SAF Under-19 national teams.
Some of his most successful proteges have even played professionally in the United Kingdom and Denmark, demonstrating the international caliber of talent emerging from this rural initiative.
Success Stories That Inspire
Among the standout footballers produced by Gope's program are Anita Kumari and Soni Munda, both selected for the national team for the FIFA Under-17 tournament. Another remarkable success story is Priyanka Kuch, who joined the center in 2013 at just 11 years old and has since become a national-level player and coach.
Kuch's journey exemplifies the transformative power of this initiative. Selected for the state camp for national-level tournaments in 2016, she played for the state team in the national league at Cuttack that same year, earning the nickname "steel gate" for her formidable defensive skills. Her performance even earned her a spot in the national camp in Gujarat, and she later served as coach for the state's Under-14 team in 2024.
Overcoming Social Barriers
The path to success was not without significant challenges. In the initial years, Gope faced strong opposition from locals who objected to girls playing football in shorts during morning and evening sessions. Community members applied pressure on parents to withdraw their children from the program, and the training ground was sometimes sabotaged with nails and broken glass.
For six to seven years, Gope conducted regular meetings with parents to ensure they continued supporting their children's participation. The turning point came when the girls began achieving tangible results and their successes gained media attention, gradually changing community attitudes toward women's sports.
Life-Changing Interventions
Priyanka Kuch's personal story highlights the program's broader social impact. When she was just 12 years old, her parents arranged her marriage to a man from Rajasthan who promised to bear all expenses. Gope and Kuch's football colleagues intervened, visiting her parents to persuade them against the marriage and threatening to register a formal case if they proceeded.
This intervention not only saved Kuch from child marriage but allowed her to continue her football journey, ultimately becoming a national-level player and coach who now inspires other young girls.
Building for the Future
Recently, Gope played a significant role in organizing the Sansad Khel Mahotsav, an event organized by Ranchi MP and Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth. Looking toward the future, Gope has now sought government assistance to build proper infrastructure at his Charihujir center, aiming to provide better facilities for the next generation of rural football talent.
What began as one man's vision has grown into a movement that demonstrates how sports can transform lives, challenge social norms, and create pathways to national and international success for rural youth, particularly girls who might otherwise face limited opportunities.
