Thoughts two seasons later

Ana Reka, vice-president of Athletic Club’s Women’s team

On 30 March 2003 an historical event took place in the centennial history of Athletic Club. For the first time, the ‘cathedral of football’, the sanctuary of the sport institution most important and rooted in our society, welcomed in its womb a football match played by women. It was a landmark event that came to ratify a bet that the Club made at the beginning of the present Board of directors’ mandate, to begin tracking new trails; Women’s football. This bet was not free of doubts or more or less pejorative external valuations. At other levels a certain sense of expectancy was generated and the beginnings of Athletic Club’s girls were quite inspirational, as the spectators came to Lezama. Little by little, match by match, a faithful red-and-white following was generated and, once again, the link between fans and the red-and-white team, this time made up of girls, was just another motor; exemplary fans during the whole women’s Superliga competition.

On that 30 March 2003 the doors of San Mamés were opened (timidly, at the beginning), to recognize the value of a sport -football- played by women and from a professional and centennial Club that, always kind to the society in which it roots, was totally right when impelling from its colours the opportunity that future generations of children will enjoy from now on; to dream about one day playing for its heartfelt Athletic Club.

And that Superliga title was won, and now a second one has been won and on Sunday, 16 May, the doors of San Mamés were once again opened to celebrate the title with trophy in hand, to celebrate even in the defeat. It was left patent that when women’s football is called Athletic Club, it has a soul and shared feeling that is absolutely unique and special.

Nevertheless, we should remember that this has only just started. The reality of the top state competition of women’s football, with its flashy name of Superliga, has little to do with Athletic Club’s following, with its facilities and means, the technical support at all levels, which our girls enjoy. The teams that compete have, in many cases, great difficulties to balance minimal accounts, to have quality facilities, to have the human support to work the optimal yield of the players. For that reason, the irrefutable success of Athletic Club women’s team should invite to serious reflection on where we want this to go. So much so that the efforts of the Club to impel and to positively develop a serious project, as it has been doing until now, can end up hitting the wall of a competition that has little to do with seriousness and work well done, to which it originally made reference. And all this, with the deepest respect and greatest consideration towards those smaller clubs that have been determined, so much with their work as with their effort, so that this competition exists and with whom we must work elbow to elbow to favour its improvement.

Now, once Athletic Club girls achieved the second title, we think is the moment for renewing the commitment to work in favour of women’s football, at home as well as outwards. We have great future challenges before us, but to confront them we will need to make efforts and, most importantly, have a lot of faith and confidence in the work of our women in the sport they call ‘king’. Up until now we have achieved to renew the spirit in our followers and this should force us to diligently manage the keys on which this project is going to move in future. For that reason, and because we are Athletic Club, the centennial Club, the Club rooted with its society, the prestigious institution and the well-doer, our work in women’s football is being an all-out example that we would like to see spread. We will continue working and, surely we will continue prevailing in that line.

In these thoughts I do not want to leave out making reference to that president who had the great strategic vision to advance on this project. Javier Uria barely had the opportunity to enjoy the first title of that very personal bet to start up the first Athletic women’s team in history. He hit the target, and his name will always be linked to that reality, like so many others that he impelled with his manliness and great ability to work. Now that the girls have revalidated last season’s title and he is no longer with us, his spirit and his illusion remain with us who faithfully follow his project, with a desire to work and support that initial bet that is more real and alive than ever among all those that make up that great Athletic Club family. Movement is demonstrated through walking and there is still a lot left to be done, but meanwhile, we can enjoy our girls’ renewed success.