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Meet UAE's first female football commentator

A chance meeting with a young boy's father led British physical education teacher Amy Gillingham to realise a long cherished dream

Amy Gillingham, 29, from Southport in Merseyside, England, wanted to bend it like David Beckham since her formative years. “I fell in love with football from an early age. My elder brother and I were always in the garden kicking a ball around. I started playing football in school and local clubs [Birkdale United and Southport F.C], and then progressed playing further afield, for Liverpool Feds and FC United of Manchester,” recalls Gillingham, who is a physical education teacher at a government-run school in the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK).

Gillingham fell in love with the UAE ever since she moved here five years ago. “I was honoured to have an opportunity not only to work abroad but to do so in such a remarkable country. The public schools were reshaping the physical education curriculum and to be able to help and be part of this process was a great honour. Encouraging and motivating children to participate and enjoy sport has always been an ambition of mine,” she says.

In early January, she made history as the first football commentator in the UAE. Looking back, Amy says it was a fortuitous meeting that landed her the “dream job”. “The story of how I landed the commentary job is a little bizarre, but I’m a huge believer in fate and it has always been a dream for me to have a career within the sports/football industry,” she says. “I was waiting for my car to be washed and whilst waiting, I started kicking a ball around with some of the workers and a young boy. Shortly after, the boy’s father came over and we started talking about football. During the brief 10-minute chat, he could make out my involvement and experience of the game. He instantly asked me if I would be interested in commentating on a game in the UAE. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. Soon, I sent my resume to the Pro League and several discussions were held about my experience of the game. I was given my first match alongside Graham Clews, a renowned commentator and presenter. My first game turned out to be a Super Cup final between Abu Dhabi’s Al Jazira and Dubai’s Shabab Al Ahli. I was honoured to be commentating on such a prestigious event. I’m grateful to have received this opportunity and excited to see what the future holds.”

She did not have any broadcast commentary experience in England. “However, my involvement and experience in the game ensured that I had the confidence and knowledge to take up the position,” she says.

Gillingham has the right credentials for the exciting parallel career opportunity that has opened up for her in the UAE. After she finished her schooling in England, she attended Southport College and The University of Central Lancashire from where she graduated in Sports Studies. From there she gained her teaching qualification at Leeds Beckett University.

In England, she largely pursued football coaching in local schools. As luck would have it, her passion and drive for sports and football landed her a “fantastic full-time job as a physical education teacher in the UAE”.

Today, Gillingham is optimistic about the prospect of women’s football in the UAE. “There are many private organisations that provide a platform for young Emirati girls to participate in football. Also, more established clubs, such as Abu Dhabi Country Club, have a great setup for female footballers, of which a large percentage play for the UAE national team. It’s fantastic to see a club put so much focus and provide many opportunities for female footballers here in the UAE. In previous games, the UAE national team has shown its strength and potential within the AFC Women’s Asian Cup,” she says.

Gillingham could well be a role model for aspiring Emirati women footballers. “I’m grateful to be in a role where I am educating young Emirati students five days a week. In my physical education lessons, I provide my pupils a platform to participate in sport and football. Ultimately, my goal is to provide sessions where children have fun and enjoyment. If the girls have fun, then naturally they’re going to want to participate more. Also, within my commentary role, I hope to inspire Emirati women footballers to not just participate in the game as players, but also strive in other roles that are out there, such as coaching, media and broadcast.”

She has her roadmap chalked out for the future. She would love to “educate, motivate and inspire young Emirati pupils to participate and strive in the sporting world”. Besides, through her new business, Mountain Goat Energy, she hopes to encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

More significantly, she wants to commentate for the Adnoc Pro-League and “help promote such a fantastic competition in the UAE”.

Her most cherished dream, though, is to be involved in some capacity in the upcoming Fifa World Cup to be played in Doha, Qatar, between November 21 and December 18.

joydeep@khaleejtimes.com