ŽNK LJUBLJANA

My Story:

Hello, dear Reader, thank you for being here. As you might know, my name is Pamela Begić aka Pam. My story begins at 5 years of age, when I first started playing soccer professionally. I say professionally because that's how it was for me, I was dead serious about it. Soccer gave me a sense of belonging, joy, and love. All I wanted to do was kick a ball and be the best at it. I knew, at that young age, that playing soccer is what I wanted to do with my life, so I joined a boys' team because there were no girls' teams nearby. Little by little, with a lot of help and sacrifice from my mom, I trained hard and attended a high school soccer academy (for boys only, at that time) in the capital city Ljubljana when I was 14. That meant moving 2 hours away from home, living in dorms and being away from my family. At the age of 18, after graduating from high school, I made a huge leap of faith and moved across the world from Slovenia to Gainesville, Florida to attend University of Florida (Go Gators). Becoming a student-athlete at UF was singlehandedly the best decision of my life. It enabled me to live my dreams beyond my wildest imagination. As I went through a complete rebirth of my identity, priorities, and goals, I discovered deeper layers of who I was. After graduation, in December of 2016, I continued searching for glimpses of that supportive system I found at Florida in other professional soccer environments. I played in Italy, Cyprus, and Spain, for teams like AC Milan and Slovenia's national team. A little off topic, but for 6 months, I even worked as a personal assistant for disabled people in England, all in search of Service and Purpose...

After years of following my "little-5-year-old" dreams my world came to a sudden stop. In June of 2021, after a difficult season in Spain, I couldn't relate to soccer like I used to and my world was crushed. I decided to come home to Slovenia to redefine myself and my most precious relationship--that to soccer.

My intention with this move was to catch a breath, gather my thoughts, and rekindle my spark and joy for the game. I figured, I either play this game like I did when I was a kid--with excitement, love and passion, or not at all. So I embarked on a journey of deep transformation and letting go. A hero's journey if you will...

I joined a newly established team called ŽNK LJUBLJANA because the all-women staff that formed it were people I knew and trusted. These were my friends and ex-teammates. In that moment I really needed a safe space--a soccer environment that was loving, supportive and nurturing, which was not the case during my last season in Spain.

Moving back home, to Slovenia, meant playing amateurly. Last year, our first season was pretty hard for me. Navigating profound changes, inner turmoil, figuring out the logistics of not getting paid for what I used to get paid for, playing in difficult conditions, learning how to communicate in Slovenian language (as funny as that sounds), everything felt completely new for me. I felt like a foreigner in my own land, however, I fought hard (and gently) and learnt new ways.

We, as a team, had a great rookie season and I caught a second wind. By the start of the second season, the summer of 2022, I rekindled my joy for what I do--accepting that it looks completely different than what I thought it would. I am still navigating these waters, but ŽNK LJUBLJANA and the relationships we have built, is the reason why I am still in soccer. I am re-navigating my "WHY", my reason, my purpose. It's unraveling as a deep calling that goes beyond just kicking a ball. I've found profound healing opportunities that I am yet to fully decipher and integrate...

This team has given me so much it's beyond words. During this journey, I had to adjust and relearn a lot of things which I am deeply grateful for. I want to give back to my community by raising some funds to further assist us on our path.

We are in active search of a bigger investor here in Slovenia, meanwhile we are turning internationally for any form of support. We are gathering funds that will assist us in all realms, on all levels. Our aim is to fully professionalize our team, which will consequently raise the level of the game in Slovenia.

The entire staff of the establishment has been working voluntarily. Every single person; from the president of the club to the players, we've all been doing this work for "free", for the love of the game. So far, with great dedication and effort, we are managing to cover all the costs, but any kind of donations would help us elevate and change our conditions to move us a step closer to a fully professional soccer environment.

Right now, we are in need of better training conditions (proper soccer fields, game transportation, gear, etc.) to truly help us grow on the field, and create easier circumstances for our lives off the field.

A big portion of the funds gathered will go towards creating a better infrastructure for the growth of our youth sector. Again, we are talking about proper training facilities, paying the coaches, game transportation etc.

If you can support and help us in any way shape or form, we thank you immensely.

May our story (written below) be the example of what can be achieved when one operates from a place of heart and love.

From the bottom of my heart, and in the name of our club, THANK YOU!

May you be blessed,

Pamela

WHO WE ARE--WOMEN'S FOOTBALL CLUB LJUBLJANA:

In June of the Lord’s year 2021, a new Women’s Football club called ŽNK (WFC) Ljubljana was born. This club, established and ran by an all-female staff, is based in sLOVEnia; sharing the name of its capital city. All of us involved in the club are here with a mission to raise the level of sports, education, respect, gender equality, and overall personal growth of each person, player, staff member, collaborator and ultimately everyone we come into contact with.

The founders of ŽNK Ljubljana are a unique group of WOMEN who are former (and current) soccer players and well-rounded athletes that have been tightly connected to sports their entire lives. In some cases in Slovenia, and in others abroad. Many of our skills lay in having studied and played professionally in countries like USA, Italy, Austria, UK, Spain, Cyprus and Iceland. With our wide array of expertise and education ranging from: licensed coaching, physical training, applied kinesiology and physiology, soccer analysis, anthropology, alternative medicine & healing modalities, and even a PhD in science and bio-medicine, we offer our players an interesting mix of teachings and a chance to grow as people through the sport we all love. We wish to bestow onto others the blessings, guidance, conditions, opportunities, and support that we had to fight for ourselves when we were younger, or were not even a possibility at that time in history. Our vision is to pass on the knowledge we have acquired throughout the years of our own trial and error, and to raise the level of women’s soccer (and women’s sports in general) in Slovenia. At the point of our establishment, we were the very first all-female staff in Slovenia’s soccer history. With all three coaches: head and 2 assistants , having many years of domestic & international professional experience under their belts—having played abroad as well as having competed for Slovenia’s national team. Recently, a male colleague (assistant coach) joined our staff, sharing our vision to form and maintain a solid, long-lasting, healthy club--a firm foundation for generations to come. A place where we can all learn and grow as people, women, and soccer players. Last season, in our first year of establishment, we ended in 4th place with the same amount of points as the 3rd ranked team. We are also very proud to report that we managed to fight and win our way into the National Cup finals, where we lost with a minimal score of 1:0, coming in 2nd place--surprising Slovenia’s soccer crowd with our competitiveness and heart. In the next couple of years, as we gain more support and grow as an establishment, we envision to have a healthy youth sector and an adult team that is number one in Slovenia while competing internationally in UEFA Women's Champions League. Most importantly, we want to help girls and young women maximize their potentials on their path to living their dreams... We desire for this club to be a place of growth and refuge for those that are dedicated to soccer, healthy lifestyle, and pursuing their goals.

As our motto says: “Treniramo s srcem, igramo s srcem, zmagujemo s srcem” in English meaning: “We train with heart, play with heart, win with heart”.

We are asking for your help as we are currently in need of donations, financial support, sponsorships, mentorship, collaborations, good thoughts, prayers etc. that could help the expansion of ŽNK Ljubljana.

We are open to receive all sorts of blessings, in all shapes, forms and sizes. We are eager to learn and expand rapidly, so if you feel called and have the capacity to help please donate, or reach out to us for a collaboration.

You can contact us through email: [email protected] or [email protected]

or phone number: +38669841319 (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram) ask for Pamela Begic

(assistant coach, player, & University of Florida alum)

With LOVE and deepest gratitude,

team of ŽNK Ljubljana

DISCLAIMER: to claim your rewards make sure to email me at [email protected] with your shipping address. We will be sending them out at the end of the campaign.

Thank you!