Football, my Love!
I started playing football in class 6. I remember, it was the assembly ground at school (DPS, Vasant Kunj). Back then, it was all coarse sand/ gravel, but we still enjoyed playing there! Every recess/ break time used to be spent kicking the ball in the dirt and getting dirty ourselves. The shiny black shoes in the morning used to transform into brown shoes. And in order to avoid the teacher's glare about our 'clean' uniforms, we used to rub them on the back of our socks! Ha! There goes our socks too! It was fun.
I wanted to get into the school football team. One Saturday morning, we had a match against DDA football academy (The best in Delhi). I went for that least expecting that i would get a chance to play. But, many of the regular team players did not turn up and I got a chance to play. That match, I played my heart out, making sure that I did not waste the opportunity. The Coach, Jasmer Sir really liked my game and I became a part of the team! Wohoo! Then on, i practiced with the team, spent time and had amazing fun. I made great friends with Adi (Aditya Awasthi) and Brian (aka firangi, angrez, English jaat; Brian McLackland). Missing classes for the matches, practices was the best!
The main test was during my first Inter DPS football tournament. Going into the tournament, we were well practiced. We had training sessions during the morning, then breakfast in the Hostel Mess. Hostelers hated their food, but we loved theirs! We used to fight over paranthas, curd, toast. Then, we used to go to C-Block which had the cleanest bathrooms and used to have a shower. I was a very obedient/innocent/boring guy, so i used to go to the class like a good boy while others used to hang out/chill/have fun. But all is well.
We won that Inter DPS Football tournament and after that many more tournaments. We had become one of the best junior football teams in Delhi. We played the All India Subroto Cup. That was awesome. Representing Delhi was a matter of great achievement for us. We even got Adidas football jerseys! Imagine our joy!
Next, I remember my days at the DDA Academy. The daily commuting by bus, super tiring workouts and the priceless stipends at the end of the month! Rs 720/- per month! We used to be ecstatic. Learning under the guidance of Melvin D'Souza, Parasher Sir, Ranjit Thapa, Naveen Sir and Jasmer Sir were the most rewarding days of football. From the basics to the nuances of soccer, we were taught all. Fitness was at its peak. I felt like a bird, running across the field! Tiredness was never a word in our dictionary, such was our stamina. I could have run 20 rounds of the field even if you asked me to do so after waking up from sleep!
Glory days of football!
MSM, Zonals, Inter DPS, we had them all under our belt.
Soccer dwindled in my life as 11th and 12th standard set in. I had to leave DDA too. Once in college, all the competitive spirit of football was lost somewhere. Only when in 5th semester, I realised what i was missing out on ! My resolution - 'Come 6th Sem and football would feature on the top of my list!' Oh yes, I did!
Soccer in my life would continue forever. The rivalries against DPS RKP, the swearing on the field, the team spirit, the team huddles, the celebration, the feeling of defeat..all these are too tempting and too real to forget! These are my life! I have learnt too much from sports to forget it and concentrate on life, as both are overlapping!
Football.Life.Forever.
The main test was during my first Inter DPS football tournament. Going into the tournament, we were well practiced. We had training sessions during the morning, then breakfast in the Hostel Mess. Hostelers hated their food, but we loved theirs! We used to fight over paranthas, curd, toast. Then, we used to go to C-Block which had the cleanest bathrooms and used to have a shower. I was a very obedient/innocent/boring guy, so i used to go to the class like a good boy while others used to hang out/chill/have fun. But all is well.
We won that Inter DPS Football tournament and after that many more tournaments. We had become one of the best junior football teams in Delhi. We played the All India Subroto Cup. That was awesome. Representing Delhi was a matter of great achievement for us. We even got Adidas football jerseys! Imagine our joy!
Next, I remember my days at the DDA Academy. The daily commuting by bus, super tiring workouts and the priceless stipends at the end of the month! Rs 720/- per month! We used to be ecstatic. Learning under the guidance of Melvin D'Souza, Parasher Sir, Ranjit Thapa, Naveen Sir and Jasmer Sir were the most rewarding days of football. From the basics to the nuances of soccer, we were taught all. Fitness was at its peak. I felt like a bird, running across the field! Tiredness was never a word in our dictionary, such was our stamina. I could have run 20 rounds of the field even if you asked me to do so after waking up from sleep!
Glory days of football!
MSM, Zonals, Inter DPS, we had them all under our belt.
Soccer dwindled in my life as 11th and 12th standard set in. I had to leave DDA too. Once in college, all the competitive spirit of football was lost somewhere. Only when in 5th semester, I realised what i was missing out on ! My resolution - 'Come 6th Sem and football would feature on the top of my list!' Oh yes, I did!
Soccer in my life would continue forever. The rivalries against DPS RKP, the swearing on the field, the team spirit, the team huddles, the celebration, the feeling of defeat..all these are too tempting and too real to forget! These are my life! I have learnt too much from sports to forget it and concentrate on life, as both are overlapping!
Football.Life.Forever.
Thank you for this informative blog, search here for the football academy New Delhi
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