Last year in the under-14 football league, she scored 11 goals in the first match itself and this year too, she has reached a tally of seven goals from three games. “The No. 13 is lucky for me. When I started, I had other number but after I got number 13, I’ve been getting a lot of goals. Even our coach keeps this number for me,” says the girl, who does not need any additional luck as she can turn a match anyway with her skills.

Also, Cannosa had reached the finals of the under-14 for the first time. Last year they had lost to Bombay International in the semi-finals and had to be satisfied with a third place finish, but this year they were looking for revenge. Kamini, who had a golden run in the league last year had cried bitterly after their loss said, “It was a revenge match for us and we had to win it”. Cannosa defeated Bombay International 1-0 to enter the final this year.

However, the season did not start well for them as there were problems galore. Their assistant coach Raymond Barnes says, “A lot of girls opted out due to the impending exams and later as a team, we hardly got time to practice. There are a lot of girls from under-12 division who still have to learn the basics”. There were fears of the school not putting up a team in the league this season, but leaving all that confusion behind them, they all managed to reach the final.

Kamini was always a football buff and says, “Our school did not have a team in primary section, so I started playing from fifth standard as a right winger and later as a striker.” And then there was no looking back for her. She got the basic skills playing with the boys in her building compound. “They allowed me to join their team but I was always made to stand in the goal. All the action was in the middle, I hated it so much that I decided never to become a goalkeeper,” she explains.

After scoring 11 goals in their first match, Kamini has been heavily marked from last year but she remains unperturbed with all the attention and says, “Our coach emphasises on keeping a cool mind and that is what I do.” This frail goal-machine shrugs, “Even if I don’t have the ball, my opponents still keep pushing me all the time”.

She has also learnt to run faster than her opponents. “It make the rival defenders tired and I have to take advantage of that moment.” But ask her whether more practice is the key to her success and pat comes the reply, “Though I don’t put in extra hours of practice, whenever on the field, I’m serious.”

This ninth standard student believes in playing attractive football and says, “It’s good on the eyes”. She admires Kaka and Michael Ballack and wants to emulate them.

Kamini’s versatility does not restrict her to the football field alone as she has also played basketball till the district-level and had recently won a gold medal in a relay race. It was for the first time that she had worn spikes and had to run for her school, as they would have been disqualified otherwise.