When young girls in Syria look at Maha Jannoud, they see a pioneer they can emulate. That’s because the 32-year-old is coaching al-Muhafaza, a men’s soccer club based in Damascus.
She believes she’s the first woman to ever coach a men’s professional team in the Middle East. And, it’s her perspective on the role of a coach that helped land her the job.
“Coaching is a science regardless of whether those practicing the science are males or females,” she explained to Reuters. “It is science. When the person carrying this message of coaching is confident of information and has special charisma and leadership on the pitch, it makes no difference between a man and a woman.”
Jannoud’s experience in soccer is extensive. She played for the Syrian women’s national team as well as al-Muhafaza’s women’s team, but took up coaching after an injury permanently landed her on the sidelines.
In a country where women play second fiddle, it took a little time for her team to warm up to her.
“At first it was a little bit hard,” al-Muhafaza player Amjad Katkout said. “But then we got used to this, she became like a sister or a friend. It is normal.”
It also helps that the club has won eight of 10 games played this season.
As for why al-Muhafaza broke the mold and hired her in the first place?
“I appointed her as technical supervisor of the team that will play this year,” the team’s technical manager, Anas Sebaei, said. “We created a big noise with this decision. Maha deserves that because she is a good player and good coach.”
It’s a small step for women during the Syrian crisis, which has displaced nearly 7 million people within the country and more than 5.6 million who have fled Syria entirely, according to UN Women. But, Jannoud serves as a beacon of light for woman pursuing leadership roles within Syria’s border.
