Roxanne "Rocky" Hehakaija (born 1984) is a Dutch street football player and nonprofit executive. She rose to fame as a member of Jong Oranje, the Dutch national under-21 football team, and toured as the only female member of Street Legends. She later shifted to leading international street football-focused nonprofit Favela Street. She was featured as a Legend in FIFA 20, and was one of the BBC 100 Women for 2017.
Rocky Hehakaija | |
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.jpg) Hehakaija in 2020 | |
| Born | February 28, 1984 Uithorn, Netherlands |
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| Honors | BBC 100 Women 2017 |
Biography
editShe grew up in a high-rise apartment in the outskirts of Amsterdam, and always dreamed of becoming a professional football player. One of her greatest inspirations was her father, a football player himself.[1] She ultimately wound up going into street football, becoming the first and only female member of Edgar Davids's team Street Legends and playing for the Netherlands national under-21 football team.[2] But when she was just 21, she tore her ACL, and at 23 she became unable to continue playing.[3] Outside of sports, she studied communication and marketing.[4]
One thing that inspired her was a visit to the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro when she was 18. She saw how much joy and community was built as soon as the football got out onto the field. She has stated that this is one of the thigs that inspired her.[5]
In 2012, she co-founded Favela Street, a NGO focused on community service and street football in marginalized communities. She soon took the lead, and with the help of a sports psychologist, expanded the program to launch projects in Haiti, Brazil, Curaçao, and Sudan, as well as her home in the Netherlands.[6][7]
She is also a noted public speaker.[8][9]
She won Season 21 of Wie is de mol?.[10] She was featured as a Legend in FIFA 20.[11] She was also featured as one of the BBC 100 Women of 2017.[12]
References
edit- ↑ ""Always believe in yourself, there are many paths that lead to success" – Rocky Hehakaija | Bahasa Basudara". www.bahasabasudara.org. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ "Concrete ideas". www.champions-journal.com. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ Abushahla, Ramsey (2018-02-02). "Favela Street Harnesses the Power of Street Football to Uplift and Unite the World's Most Impoverished Communities". Urban Pitch. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ Redactie, Bona (2022-05-14). "Humans@Bona: Rocky Hehakaija - Favela Street". Bonaventura Lyceum (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ "Lomography - A Day with Rocky Hehakaija Perremuto and the Lomo'Instant Wide". www.lomography.com. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ "Rocky from Favela Street on fostering community through football: 'We're not some savior, it has to be dope'". Lilith. 2022-02-14. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ "R. (Rocky) Hehakaija". Sportraad Amsterdam (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ Hehakaija, Rocky (2020-12-17). How to challenge the world of impact measurement. Retrieved 2026-05-10 – via www.ted.com.
- ↑ "Amsterdamse Iconen #6: Rocky Hehakaija". Pakhuis de Zwijger (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ WIDM English Subs (2021-03-07). Wie is de Mol (The Mole) S21E10 FINAL with English subtitles. Retrieved 2026-05-10 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Amsterdamse Rocky is eerste vrouw in straatvoetbalversie FIFA 20". FunX (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-10.
- ↑ "BBC 100 Women 2017: Who is on the list?". 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2026-05-10.