The Assistant Coach of Faith Ladies, Priscilla Abiana Dixon, shared her inspiring journey as a footballer-turned-coach.
As the former Captain of Faith Ladies, she reflects on her experiences as a player and her transition to coaching.
On International Women’s Day, she goes back to her days, starting to fall and her feet in a sport that gives her her daily bread.
“I played for Combined Forces FC for a season and then came to Faith Ladies FC to continue my football journey and that’s the only teams I’ve played so far,” she opened up to Adepa GH of Onua Sports.
“After I joined Faith Ladies, I decided to stop playing because I was once provoked,” she said with emotions on her face provoked probably by memories of the incident.
Stopping short of divulging the details of this, Priscilla revealed how she was once approached to become a referee.
“I was motivated by my team management and I was chosen as captain,” she said.
“After a while they saw leadership in me so they introduced me to refereeing but I turned it down and decided to do coaching due to what I have witnessed as a player and what they do to referees, their pain which I can’t endure.
“You know, they are sometimes physically abused,” she said with disdain towards those behind such hooliganism.
She candidly shared the challenges and triumphs she’s faced as a coach.
“Football comes with a lot of challenges as ladies. Feeding, accommodations and fitness which they lack because all the attention has been moved to only the male side and it’s something that affects their performance and their style of living.”
Head Coach of Faith Ladies Raymond Fenny praised Priscilla’s dedication to the sports and how well she has shown leadership and skills to upcoming players, becoming a role model to the young generation.
Portia Nana Prempeh, who had a rare chance of playing with Priscilla before she turned her coach, expressed admiration for Coach Priscilla’s leadership.
“Coach Priscilla is democratic not autocratic and she serves as a mother to us here.”
Priscilla urged all stakeholders to invest in women’s football to level up like the men as that will sell the ladies more internationally.
She sees herself as a role model and strives to inspire and guide the ladies under her care to greatness.
