Anggita Puspita Sari, who plays for the Persija Jakarta women’s soccer team, has been given the opportunity to develop her skills beyond her usual role as a fullback by training as a winger at a soccer camp in Phuket, Thailand.

“I am being introduced to a new opportunity on the field in which I can explore more at the wing without leaving behind my main responsibility as a fullback. It requires more running but it’s more fun,” Anggita said, explaining how the position was a welcome change from her daily training routine and how it gave her more freedom on the pitch.

Assistant coach Aaron Tillbrook said the training allowed the players from Persija to explore other positions.

“Finding the most suitable position would maximize a player’s role during the match,” he said.

Anggita was one of 36 participants who attended a three-day soccer camp at the Thanyapura sports resort in Phuket, alongside Tottenham Hotspur coaches from the English club’s global program. The event was sponsored by life insurance company PT AIA Indonesia.

“We have been strongly encouraged to look at time management, build more self-discipline and eat more nutritious food, which in the end would greatly support our careers as soccer players,” Anggita told journalists during the camp.

However, she acknowledged it would be tough for her to continue implementing the new skills after leaving the camp. Being the only athlete in the family, she said, only added to the challenge.

Sharing the same concerns as Anggita was fellow soccer player Zahra Muzdalifah, who said she had long been waiting to learn about nutrition.

Zahra, who did not participate in any of the on-field training due to a thigh injury, said she realized that diet played a pivotal role in her stamina as an athlete.

“I finally got solid information on how to identify and mix a variety of healthy ingredients. I have also discussed this with my mom and am going to implement it as soon as I return home,” she said.

All participants were required to attend an hour of nutrition classes, which were scheduled after their morning training sessions, right before lunch.

As for the training, Zahra, who participated in previous AIA-sponsored training, said that, above all, training with world-class trainers was enlightening, as it gave her a new perspective on how to think strategically before kicking the ball.

Despite her injury, Zahra made sure to be active in the discussions held between training sessions.

Unlike her daily practices at home, where players are told to prioritize speed and agility, in Phuket, they were challenged to make quick decisions in regard to playing the ball.

“Think quickly — this has been the key word for us as we train here and it is also the difference between this and [the practices] we usually have. [I am] grateful for this opportunity,” Zahra, whose acrobatic strike that put the ball in the net when playing with the Drupadi team during the AIA regional championship in Bangkok went viral early this year, said.

The head of branding and communications of PT AIA Indonesia, Kathryn Monika Parapak, said the three-day camp proved that the company meant business when it came to supporting women’s soccer.

Prior to the camp, AIA organized several activities that were tailored to support the development of women’s soccer. AIA and Persija Jakarta management inked a sponsorship deal together on Friday last week.

“Some of the girls have been training and playing with us. Thus, we know about their capabilities. This was the main reason behind our decision to support the club,” Kathryn said.

Not all the participants in Phuket were players. Nindy Santrika, an assistant coach at Spartan FC in Cilacap, Central Java, said she would learn as much as she could from the camp to help her club back home.

“My players at the club deserve to gain this knowledge as well,” Nindy, who had to pass an AIA selection process to attend the camp, said.

Joining the camp from the easternmost province of Papua was Lisa Armanita Madjar, who said it was a dream come true. Aside from all the techniques learned during the training, Lisa said she enjoyed forming new friendships.

“The time was way too short for me. [I] expect to be able to join a similar camp again in the future,” she said.

The Persija women’s soccer team, comprising 24 players, trained with 12 other players selected from the AIA internal selection process. They lived together for three days and adhered to a tight schedule and strict dietary plan.

Head coach Anton Blackwood helped to remind the participants about when to eat, sleep and even set aside time to organize themselves.

He said that although the participants had different skill sets, with some having more talent than others, they kept making progress during the training. As they were still young, they had plenty of opportunity moving forward to develop as soccer players, he added.

Persija Jakarta marketing and business director Andhika Suksmana praised the three-day camp, saying it could motivate them to perform better on the field.

“Introducing the players to a proper athlete’s diet, better time management and self-discipline during this camp has been the basic idea. Hopefully they can bring something back home,” he said.

The Persija women’s team is preparing to host the third edition of the 2019 Women’s League. The side will face PSS Sleman, PSIS Semarang and Persib Bandung, among other clubs, from Nov. 2 to 8 at Senayan Madya Stadium.

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