No, absolutely not.
The team was formed in Minsk in January, following the path of similar amateur groups in Brest and Grodno. Nadezhda, the oldest participant in the squad, came up with the idea to assemble a team after watching her daughter play, eventually finding Sorokoch to coach them. While the concept centers on mothers, the roster also includes a small number of women without children; tournament rules for such squads typically cap non-mothers at two out of 12 registered players. By March, just two months after forming, the Minsk side traveled to Brest for their first international tournament and finished second among ten teams from Belarus and Russia.
Friday Night Training Sessions at the University Sports Hall
Training sessions take place twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. On a recent Friday evening, the team gathered at a university sports hall in Minsk after classes had ended and the corridors grew quiet. Sorokoch began the session by handing out candy and apples before leading the squad through physical preparations, which started with players holding hands in a circle before dropping their grips for 25 squats.
The workouts mirror standard football sessions, blending physical conditioning with ball control drills, passing exercises, and tactical rotations. Sorokoch does not assign players to permanent positions, regularly shifting individuals between defensive duties and attacking roles. Sessions typically conclude with a full-scale match using training bibs followed by a cool-down.
For players like Olga Kobus, who attended with her daughter Anna, the team offers a chance to share a discipline practiced across the household. Anna plays as a left winger and participates in family football discussions that span international competitions like the World Cup, where the family supported Argentina. Another player, Olga—a candidate of pedagogical sciences and researcher at the National Academy of Education—joined the team after participating in a neighborhood football group organized on a school stadium pitch by local residents and children.
Players Balance Professional Duties with Athletic Training
The roster draws women from varied professional and personal backgrounds who balance domestic duties, employment, and athletic training. Olga Terletskaya, wearing the number 10 shirt, returned to sports after a decade-long maternity leave following her background in basketball. Maria Barbarak, wearing number two, joined after her children enrolled in the Slavynin club. Another player, Kristina Shidlovskaya, noted that the team environment provides a collective support structure that she prefers over solitary visits to a traditional gym.
Post-Training Tea Rituals and Team Building
A mandatory post-training routine follows every session, with players and the coach gathering for tea and biscuits. Sorokoch prepares the refreshments, creating a space where participants discuss work, family obligations, injuries, and upcoming fixtures.
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