Col Katoba: The passion of a female football administrator

Football despite being in existence for the longest possible time, still remains a male-dominated sport.

In rural areas, women are still restricted from playing the sport as it is viewed to be a male sport and believed that only those ladies/women who are mischievous and rebellious play the sport.

In 2019 the Zambia Women’s national team reached the final of the Japan 2020 Olympics qualifiers and won silver at the COSAFA tournament. In the entire year, The Copper Queens only suffered a single loss, 1-0 to South Africa in the final of the COSAFA Cup.

The U-17 and U-20 all participated in the COSAFA tournaments and won bronze and silver respectively. Despite all this Women’s participation in football in Zambia remains low both on the field and in Administration.

However, a number of Women are breaking these barriers and one such Woman is Colonel Priscilla Katoba whose work as an administrator and passion for football and especially Women’s football is unmatched.

The ZamFoot Crew caught up with Col Katoba to find out why she decided to take up football and do the impeccable job she has been doing.

Col Katoba revealed that she has always had a passion for the game but it was not until she joined the Army that she finally had a chance to really be in a position that contributes a lot to the Sport.

“First of all, what I would like to acknowledge is that I have had this passion since childhood but in our time we did not that chance even maybe to kick the ball but I would always be with my brothers kicking the ball being a vibrant person I am,” She said.

” Later when I went to school (Chipembi girls) I joined the cadets which I liked and later joined the Army and learned about the Green Buffaloes ladies team and I got interested and I really wanted to lead the team. ”

“However, in the Army, you don’t just come up and say you want to be the head of this sports team, there is a procedure and it’s up to the command to appoint who should lead a particular team. God can do wonders, In 2014 Command thought it wise that I can lead Green Buffaloes Women’s team and since then I took up the appointment. Every year they change but to my surprise haven’t been changed,” She added.

In the six years, she has been President of the Green Buffaloes Women’s national team, The team has always won the FAZ Lusaka Women’s League and contributes over half of the players to the national team including key players like Hazel Nali, Rachel Nachula and Mary Mwakapila.

Zambia’s export to China, Barbara Banda was also on the books of Green Buffaloes prior to her move to Spain in 2018.

Col Katoba is not just the President of the Buffaloes Women’s team but also runs her own Women’s team in Kabwe called Queens Academy.

“Yes, I have a club in Kabwe Queens Sports Academy. I have stayed in Kabwe for some time and wherever I went there I would find some teams like Makululu so I thought I could also add a team. Being a well-known person in Kabwe it was easy for me to organize and set up the team in 2017,” She said.

Her works have not gone without notice as the Football Association of Zambia appointed her as the delegation leader of the U-17 Women’s national team for the 2019 COSAFA tournament.

“That was a great experience for me, Being a delegation leader you have to be a mother. We called them babies and for real, they acted like babies and I had to come in and treat them like a real mother would do with her children, Cheering them up when they were sad and encouraging them when they needed it.”

Col Katoba who believes playing football helps keep young girls from engaging in bad vices is determined to continue helping the game grow in her capacity as the head of the Buffaloes Women’s team and the proprietor of Queens Academy.

Queens Academy has been dominating Central Province since it’s formation back in 2017 and to motivate the players, Col Katoba always organizes end of awards to reward deserving players.