Hello. My name is Büşra Kenet. I was born in Istanbul on June 27, 2000. I am the middle child of a nuclear family of 5. This year I graduated from Marmara University coaching department. By profession, I am both a coach and a football player. I enjoy swimming in the sea very much, I also love traveling, hiking, listening to music and taking nature photographs with my family.
I discovered that I became interested in football while watching the 2010 World Cup matches. Afterwards, I always wanted to play football, and as a result of my research, I saw on Google that there was a girls' team branch of Galatasaray football school. When I told my father, he obviously didn't believe this. So I went to my uncle and my uncle took me by the arm and took me to Florya Metin Oktay facilities. I was very happy when I saw that there was a girls' team. This was my first step into football. I started as a centre-back. I worked as a defender for a very short time. We didn't have a goalkeeper back then. Everyone was going to the goal one by one. I also took a shot on goal very well. After the position, my teacher said, "Should we make you the goalkeeper? If you jump on the ball I am going to throw, we will make you our goalkeeper." And I jumped on that ball and caught it. From that day on, I started working with goalkeeper coaches. I have worked and am working with really valuable coaches, and I appreciate their efforts. First of all, I had the chance to work with my teacher Duygu Erdoğan. He has a very special place in my heart. Firsts are always special, for me too. He is currently the assistant coach of the Chicago House men's team. Senih Yasa, Samet Eğribel, Hakan Bulut, Ozan Özerkan, Faik Altun, Yunus Ulucan. I can't help but mention the names of my goalkeeper coaches. Their efforts in my development from childhood to this period are enormous.
Some emotions cannot be described, they are explained as a completely different feeling. Carrying the Galatasaray crest is a completely different feeling for me. It's quite flattering. When I was little, I was already playing in Galatasaray infrastructure. Afterwards, when Galatasaray club closed its women's football team branch, I had to go to another club. I was always a child of the Galatasaray crest. I knew that one day I would join Metin Oktay again and I always worked with the dream of this. I had a big injury but I didn't give up. My dreams became my motivation. What kept me alive were the goals I set in line with my dreams. I have never stopped fighting for these goals and I still continue to do so.
My experience abroad has never been on a club basis. However, I experienced the tournament held in Israel with the U17 women's national team.
Unfortunately, we are still far behind compared to women's football in the world. As big clubs in our country have opened women's football branches, the awareness and popularity of women's football has increased compared to the past. However, it still has not reached sufficient audiences.
Of course, there are many shortcomings. If there were not many shortcomings, women's football played in the world and women's football played in our country would be close to each other. Women's football should be saved from amateur status. As long as he remains in amateur status, his development is much more limited. Unfortunately, amateur facts dominate, from the fields played to the salaries received and health opportunities. This negatively affects development. Sponsorships and support from broadcasting organizations are also very important. It is an issue that should not be overlooked.
I have been playing football since 2012 (10 years). We did this job for years without making any money. There were also periods when we received money. The money we received was barely equal to our travel expenses. With each passing year, better wages are talked about in women's football. This, of course, positively affects my motivation, just like everyone else's. Of course, money is not just a motivational tool, we are among those who devote themselves to this profession. Even when we weren't earning money, we went to training and played matches. I am sure that there are still female football players, whether in the 2nd or 3rd league, who play without even getting any money. My hope is that football becomes a branch where there is no discrimination between men and women, and where differences in terms of viewing disappear. As for my goals, I want to play for the Barcelona women's football team and experience that stadium and that spectator atmosphere. Playing for the national team is also among my goals.
Sports should not have a gender. In other words, conditions and opportunities should be equal according to status. The job that men do is the same; The job we women do is the same. Just as the employer offers equal opportunities to workers with the same status doing the same job, the same should be the case in football.
There are many people worthy of this award, but I will tell you the first few names that come to my mind. First of all; Ebru Topçu, whom I had the opportunity to get to know closely this year. He is a person who sets an example for everyone with his behavior, both on and off the field. He is a football player who deserves the fair play award both as a rival and as a teammate. Another name is Birgül Sadıkoğlu. Lastly, I would say Büşra Kenet. I consider myself worthy of this award.
I don't think enough studies are being done, I'm not saying that to criticize. Simply put, when we look at the literature, we find very few tests on female football players or studies on female football players, even in the literature. The number of academic studies in this direction should increase.
Ataturk said, “I like athletes who are smart, agile and also moral.” I recommend that our new generation of young girls should also move forward in the light of this promise. I would like to thank the Women Gool family for their support and contributions to women's football.
