1. 11community news
the arabian sun
Dhahran squad marks a decade of peaks and valleys
Dhahran — Sports can be transcendental.
Their core power lies not inside the stadium
but outside of it. When the type of mental
growth that competitive play begets influ-
ences life outside of sports and inspires in-
dividual and community development, only
then has that power been fully realized.
The Eastern Flames fully understand this.
Since being under the purview of the Sau-
di Aramco Soccer Association in 2007, the
Flames, a women’s soccer team based in
Dhahran, have grown from ragtag players
to a full-fledged squad complete with tro-
phy regalia and an unrivaled sisterhood off
the field.
Greg Steininger, a soccer consultant for
Community Services, sees considerable op-
portunity in their presence. “It’s great to see
an active women’s soccer team here because
it provides an outlet for ladies who enjoy
playing the game and exercising,” he said.
a brief history
Founded in 2006 for women aged 18 and
older by soccer aficionado Kaye Smith, the
team started out with very few and only
managed to play in its first domestic match
two years later. In 2009, the team entered
its first Rotary Club of Manama’s Charity
Tournament. After Smith left the country,
Amy Goodwright took over as captain in
2009.
Though the foray into international turf
was initially met with substantial failure
and difficulty — including a crushing 14-0
loss and conceding more than 50 goals in a
three-month league season — the 13-mem-
ber team was never short of grit.
Time soon revealed why that mattered.
In 2012, the Flames played in a Bah-
rain-based Arsenal Soccer School Cup — re-
garded as Bahrain’s most prestigious soccer
competition — and won, sparking recog-
nition of the women in blue. In a stunning
turnabout, they did not concede a single
goal in the group stages.
They followed up with another remarkable
Cup crown in 2013 and were also titled win-
ners of the seasonal Arsenal Ladies League,
becoming the first team ever to achieve the
coveted Arsenal double. The team capped
the year’s conquests by hosting their inaugu-
ral soccer tournament in Dhahran, ultimate-
ly finishing in second place.
a time for rebuilding
After Goodwright left in 2014, coach
Simon Thomas, who had been with the
Flames for two years, scrambled to keep the
team afloat, but with an inconsistent and
shrinking base of players, it seemed inevita-
ble the team would fold.
Eventually, the reins were passed on to
current captain Maram Al-Butairi, a financial
analyst. Meanwhile, Karina Chapa, a wom-
en’s development and diversity adviser, be-
came the team’s manager.
Left with the significant task of restart-
ing a team that had fallen on hard times,
Al-Butairi faced a multitude of challenges,
chief of them being the recruitment of ath-
letes and the absence of a coach. Even af-
ter Patrick Still, a Contracting Department
representative, was roped into training the
new-look team in late 2014, the task was
daunting.
“It was tough to get people to practice,”
says Still. “We had to spread the word to
get enough girls to build a team, so it was
(challenging).”
more than soccer
Since the chief trio took over the helm of
things, the Flames have now undergone sig-
nificant restructuring. For one, the team is
not only about soccer. “You come here, and
you develop yourself (whether it’s health
and wellness or personal growth),” remarks
Chapa, who sees herself play a mentoring
role to many of the members. “I’m doing a
lot more life skills (and) developing the play-
ers as women.”
For another, the side’s diverse composition
has cultivated a unique camaraderie and
inclusive energy about the team. Whether
one is American, Pakistani, French, Egyptian,
Italian, Saudi, Mexican, or Russian, among
others, nothing boasts of unity quite like
warmups being counted down in the great
languages of the world. What’s more, a pi-
lot, nurse, librarian, teacher, human resourc-
es personnel, and geologist, can all find
shared ground through a mutual love of the
game.
Players must now sign a code of conduct
committing to rules that stipulate basic nice-
ties such as respecting other players and be-
ing present and punctual. Such a code has
ensured that team spirit, teamwork, com-
munication, and discipline all remain central
pillars of group membership.
the new Eastern Flames
The Eastern Flames squad for the 2015-16
season includes Al-Butairi, Chapa, Farah Al-
Ahmed, Tiffany Armoreda, Dana Al-Shehri,
Melissa Cline, Vanessa Coolman, Sonia Isac-
chi, Yasmina Kechida, Melissa Koziol, head
coach Patrick Still, and fitness trainer Chris-
topher Armoreda.
On April 22, the Flames hosted their sec-
ond home tournament on Dhahran soil,
fielding two sides themselves and featur-
ing teams from Riyadh, Bahrain, al-Khobar,
and a participant from Jiddah. Defending
champions Al-Yamamah from Riyadh again
hoisted the trophy, while the Flames nar-
rowly missed finishing in the top three. Vis-
iting captains were unanimous in their high
Members of the Eastern Flames compete in a
recent tournament hosted in Dhahran. The team,
which has seen its ups and downs over the years,
is back strong with a renewed sense of purpose
and competitiveness. The season ended May 13,
with the next tryouts tentatively scheduled for
late August. For women interested in joining or
who have questions, email Maram Al-Butairi at
maram.butairi@aramco.com or Karina Chapa at
karina.chapa@aramco.com.
flight of the Flames
regard for the event’s organization and the
ample accommodation they received.
Chapa admits there was pressure because
a successful event would increase the like-
lihood of both player retention and teams
returning to compete.
The current season has seen greater inter-
est and participation from Saudi girls, many
of whom are playing in team sports for the
first time. More than six months of training
has resulted in greater team integration and
boldness. “It’s good they ask questions, be-
cause then I know that they’re trying to im-
prove themselves,” explains Still.
the value of support and sports
For many, family support has been cru-
cial. “When they come and cheer (for) you,
it means a lot, even (when) you lose,” says
Al-Ahmed, whose family has often been on
the sidelines pushing her during practices
and games. Al-Ahmed dons a niqab while
playing, a testament to how cultural values
and sports engagement are not mutually ex-
clusive.
A success story comes in the form of for-
mer midfielder, Sarah Al-Ghamdi. From not
being able to complete a lap to finishing a
mile without stopping, she has made fitness
an integral part of her routine, switched col-
lege majors, and she even credits the team
for changing her life.
Recently, the Flames were also featured
on regional television as part of a MBC seg-
ment. Chapa uses that as an opportunity to
remind the girls that they are “ambassadors
of sports” and “public figures,” so, team
membership comes with unstated responsi-
bilities of which each player must be cogni-
zant.
“I would hope that we have a football
team that’s self-sustainable,” Al-Butairi says
of the team’s future.
From humble beginnings, to winning
ways, to an overhauling focused on raising
human capital is a lofty goal, but not one
that is unattainable for a team devoted to
the power of sport.
You come here,
and you develop
yourself (whether
it’s health and
wellness or personal
growth). I’m doing
a lot more life skills
and developing the
players as women.
— Karina Chapa
”
by Kainat Qazi