In celebration of International Women’s Day, we take a deep dive into the life and times of the women in the FAS, to better understand what draws them into the game, what drives them, and just what they have to do to make a mark in what is a male-dominated Singapore football industry.
In the first of a special three-part International Women’s Day series penned by our former intern Chan Wei En, we turn the spotlight on Georgia Yow, our colleague in the Marketing & Communications Department.
She could feel a bead of sweat start to wobble, then slide into gear, tracing a ticklish streak from her neck down into the small of her back. With both hands straining under the weight of the box she was pulling under her chin, all Georgia Yow could afford for comfort was a little shudder.
While she was sprinting to set up an additional booth to capitalise on merchandise sales, four floors below her at the National Stadium, Son Heung Min and his South Korea side were running rampant against Singapore in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier.
Georgia cannot remember what the score was at the time, just the dizzying cacophony of noise as she slammed to halt, watching as a stray t-shirt slipped from under the box flap, and fluttered to the ground.
Georgia was part of the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship squad, July 2022.
A passerby who perhaps only saw a woman struggling, picked up the t-shirt, dropped it atop the box and walked on. He definitely did not realise those hands straining under that box of t-shirts, were, just three years ago, handling a different kind of weight: the pressure of a goalkeeper for the Lionesses at the 2022 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women’s Championship.
The 25-year-old Georgia – now also a marketing executive at the Football Association of Singapore – is still chasing her own football dream, and like several Singaporean women, embracing the fact that she also has to earn the right to run after that dream.
The reality of it all
The reality of being a woman in football isn’t unique to Georgia, who now plays with Ayer Rajah Gryphons in the Women’s National League; it’s the lived experience of countless female athletes in Singapore.
“The women’s league here isn’t professional – this means that we don’t get paid to play, so we all have jobs or are studying. Some are even moms and still manage to play,” she said.
“It feels like something only women can do—juggle five things and stay on top of all of it.”
“Ok, maybe staying on top of most of it,” she added, before breaking out in laughter.
Georgia plays with Ayer Rajah Gryphons in the Women’s National League. Photo courtesy of Ayer Rajah Gryphons.
Despite the sacrifices and struggles, sport is a journey many women continue to navigate.
“This is the reality for many women in sport, not just football,” said Georgia. “And people outside of the circle don’t fully understand that our sport isn’t always our number one priority, because there are so many other things in our life competing for that spot.”
While women in sports face high expectations to be competitive, if not elite-level players, they must also juggle the realities of family, school, and full-time jobs.
“People don’t see the daily struggles, that constant balancing act.”
A priceless magic
That balancing act is important because football is not just a game for Georgia; it’s part of her identity.
“There is a priceless bit of magic that football has brought into my life – it’s a connection that I have with people, both on and off the pitch,” she said.
“The sport is great, but maybe it’s that bond with my teammates that keeps me going”, she said, her voice warm. “We’ve been through everything together—rough seasons, tough training, injuries—whatever happens we know we always have each other’s backs – and that for me is priceless.”
Despite the challenges, she continues to stay. “You just love the sport. No matter how hard it gets, you always want to play. There’s a constant drive to be better, to improve,” she reflected. “Football can be both the stress and the stress relief. It’s what keeps me going.”
But there have been moments when the weight of everything nearly broke her resolve. “After I was called up for the national team, I hadn’t trained properly for almost a year due to COVID, and it hit me hard. The training was intense, injuries kept piling up, and I questioned if I even deserved to be there. There was a time I thought about stepping away.”
That not-always-delicate balance
And it did not help that in the Singapore context, for women football needs to be juggled alongside school and work.
Georgia’s typical day looks anything but typical.
“I’m up early for the gym, then it’s off to work. Once that’s done, I rush to my classes or stay up late finishing assignments. And I go to training or games depending on the day. Sundays are my only real rest day,” she explained.
The pressure is real, perhaps because of the sheer load that comes with working in an organisation that manages the nation’s international football, professional league, amateur leagues – for both men and women – and even grassroots football.
“When I’m working during tournaments, it’s insane. After the fans leave the stadium, we stay behind and pack everything up. There’s no time to rest, especially when working in football – you go from ticketing to international games to fan events and league games to marketing or community events,” said Georgia.
Photo courtesy of Ayer Rajah Gryphons.
“It’s a rewarding job, but also exhausting. You work late into the night, and it’s all about teamwork, community—both at the office and on the field.”
For Georgia, “sacrifice” is a constant companion, part of her daily routine—time, energy, and money are all poured into sustaining her footballing journey. Her part-time degree is self-funded, and working a full-time job – in the crazy hustle of local football—means little downtime.
The hardest part? “It’s definitely the sleep,” Georgia admits. “When you’re working, studying, and playing football, you’re constantly sacrificing sleep. You don’t have time for yourself or for socialising, so, you take out sleep to fit those into your plans. Managing everything requires a lot of self-discipline. If you want to succeed, you need to plan ahead and stay on top of things,” she said.”
“The November friendlies were brutal,” Georgia recalled. “Two days before matchday, I was at the stadium for the bump-in—checking setups, running rehearsals, and sorting out ticketing matters. The next day, after making sure everything was in place, I had to rush off to sit for an exam, running on barely any sleep,” said Georgia, the words shooting out of her mouth
“And the day after that? Straight into the Myanmar match. It was nonstop, and exhaustion hit hard, but there was no choice—I just had to push through and fight the sleep.”
The road ahead
But Georgia has no plans to slow down. Football remains a constant, even as new responsibilities pile on.
“I’ll keep juggling everything for as long as I can,” she said. “Once I graduate, that’s one less thing I have to worry about. But the reality is, once you drop one commitment, another always comes up. There will always be something to balance— but one thing is for sure, football will continue to be part of that mix.”
Her advice for young girls who aspire to balance football with their other commitments? “If you really want it, you’ll make it work. Embrace the sacrifices and plan ahead because some things will have to give if you want to make it at a high level.”
For Georgia, that mindset is what keeps her going.
“Despite everything—being exhausted, having no time, constantly juggling—it all comes back to football. I’m blessed to have a good support system and people who understand me. At the end of the day, I love the game, my teammates, and my passion. That’s why I keep doing this.”
“If people understood the daily schedule of female athletes, they’d be kinder in their comments,” she said.
“That would be nice, but actually, between the solid support system that I’m blessed with, and the joy of playing – football is worth every bead of sweat.”
