Zeliha Şimşek
Encyclopedia
Zeliha Şimşek, is a Turkish
female footballer and trainer. Currently, she plays as a midfielder
on the Trabzonspor women's team
, which she co-founded in 2007. She captains and coaches the team, as well.
in Hatay Province
. Following her graduation from the high school, she studied Turkish language
in the Teacher Education
School at the Black Sea Technical University (KTÜ) in Trabzon
.
During her university years, she played football in the women's team of KTÜ receiving her license on November 20, 2001. With the suspension of women's football matches in Turkey, she had to be away for a while from active playing.
's initiative, women's football in Turkey
was reorganized in 2007. Soon, Şimşek co-founded, along with Trabzonspor
's coordinator Özkan Sümer
, a renowned former footballer and coach, women's football branch of the same club
. Members of the newly established club were selected among the players of the school teams taking part in a tournament in Trabzon. Her amateur license was transferred to Trabzonspor on November 16, 2007.
Trabzonspor Women's Football Club was invited to join the Turkish Women's Football Premier League in its first season of 2007–08. The next season, Şimşek's team became champion of the Premier League, which was then given a national status with ten clubs competing.
After having earned the league championship title, her club was entitled to take part at the qualifying round of the 2009–10 UEFA Women's Champions League
. This was the first time a Turkish women's football team had participated in the qualifying round of the UEFA league since it was established in 2001. Trabzonspor women's team was not successful in its first international participation due to losses in the qualifying round.
Şimşek works as Turkish language teacher in a primary school in Trabzon. She trains her team in the evening hours due to her profession and the team members' positions as students.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
female footballer and trainer. Currently, she plays as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
on the Trabzonspor women's team
Trabzonspor (women)
Trabzonspor Club Women's Football Team is the women's football team of Trabzonspor in Trabzon, Turkey. It was established on October 16, 2007....
, which she co-founded in 2007. She captains and coaches the team, as well.
Early years
Şimşek was born on April 30, 1981 in the southern Turkish city of İskenderunIskenderun
İskenderun is a city and urban district in the province of Hatay on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The current mayor is Yusuf Hamit Civelek .-Names:...
in Hatay Province
Hatay Province
Hatay Province is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast. It is bordered by Syria to the south and east and the Turkish provinces of Adana and Osmaniye to the north. The province is part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region that covers the provinces of...
. Following her graduation from the high school, she studied Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
in the Teacher Education
Teacher education
Teacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school and wider community....
School at the Black Sea Technical University (KTÜ) in Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
.
During her university years, she played football in the women's team of KTÜ receiving her license on November 20, 2001. With the suspension of women's football matches in Turkey, she had to be away for a while from active playing.
Career
Upon Turkish Football FederationTurkish Football Federation
The Turkish Football Federation , also called the Turkish Football Association, is the governing body of football in Turkey. It was formed on 23 April 1923. It organizes the Turkish national teams and the Turkish football league. By 2004, there were 4,956 football clubs organized in Turkey, and a...
's initiative, women's football in Turkey
Women's football in Turkey
Women's football in Turkey is the women's branch of football in Turkey and is governed by the Turkish Football Federation .As of the 2007-08 season, a total of 798 female footballers were licensed in 51 Turkish women's football teams.-Competitions:...
was reorganized in 2007. Soon, Şimşek co-founded, along with Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. Formed in 1967 through a merger of several local clubs, Trabzonspor won six championships in Turkish Super League. The Club won their first Championship title in 1975 which is also the Club's initiation year...
's coordinator Özkan Sümer
Özkan Sümer
Özkan Sümer is a Turkish former footballer and coach. He served as defender in Trabzonspor, and later coached the same club, Galatasaray SK and the Turkey national football team. He acted also as president of Trabzonspor....
, a renowned former footballer and coach, women's football branch of the same club
Trabzonspor (women)
Trabzonspor Club Women's Football Team is the women's football team of Trabzonspor in Trabzon, Turkey. It was established on October 16, 2007....
. Members of the newly established club were selected among the players of the school teams taking part in a tournament in Trabzon. Her amateur license was transferred to Trabzonspor on November 16, 2007.
Trabzonspor Women's Football Club was invited to join the Turkish Women's Football Premier League in its first season of 2007–08. The next season, Şimşek's team became champion of the Premier League, which was then given a national status with ten clubs competing.
After having earned the league championship title, her club was entitled to take part at the qualifying round of the 2009–10 UEFA Women's Champions League
2009–10 UEFA Women's Champions League
The UEFA Women's Champions League 2009–10 was the first edition of the newly branded tournament, and the ninth edition of a UEFA tournament for women's champion football clubs....
. This was the first time a Turkish women's football team had participated in the qualifying round of the UEFA league since it was established in 2001. Trabzonspor women's team was not successful in its first international participation due to losses in the qualifying round.
Şimşek works as Turkish language teacher in a primary school in Trabzon. She trains her team in the evening hours due to her profession and the team members' positions as students.