What sports teaches us...
Here you will find things that must be learnt from sports. I've of the secrets of success is a true sportsman spirit.
India is a country in which every sportsperson is a born cricketer. Cricket is a highly influential game here. Like lakhs of Indian sports enthusiasts my first 'Love-Sport' was cricket. I only started playing football at the age of 8. In those times we used to play with a rubber ball (generally used to play cricket). Barring few places, it is really hard to find a bunch of guys inclined towards playing football. Well there cannot be a comparison to decide which one is a better sport. I love playing Football and Watching Cricket.
Football has taught me very important lessons in life. Here is the story of how Football changed my Life!!
Initial Days as a Footballer
I was in seventh standard and the team selection for cricket was going on. I registered myself as a all-rounder (as it gives you double opportunity, you can either impress the selection panel as a Batsman or as a Bowler). There were a good 35-40 students (from class VII-X) performing hard to be selected in the 15 member squad. That day I could neither impress them with bat nor with the ball. The only consolation was a good catch that I took. As expected I failed to be in the 15 member squad. I was dejected because I was dying to represent my school in inter-school tournaments.
I met our Sports Teacher Mr. M.A Mahood, asked him for a feedback, where are the areas to improve. He told me 'Beta you will be a good Goalkeeper'. I was perplexed as I expected some tips on improving my batting technique or bowling line and length. Before I could understand anything he started walking away, after few steps he turned around and told me, 'Meet me at ground after school'. I was left thinking-Goalkeeper?? Did he mean-Football.
(This is a 'Delight Moment' for any striker)
That's how my Love story with soccer started. I reached the ground immediately after the school hours. I was excited and a little nervous at the same time. There were my schoolmates already dribbling, tackling and passing the ball. That sight gave me an adrenaline rush. The guys who could pass the ball with a header or could show some tricks were considered hero. I joined them as a Golie. With my medium height, hands raised and a slight jump I could easily touch the goal post. I liked to hang on the goal post very much (as I always wanted to be tall). Mahood Sir did not come and the first day on football ground passed. While on bed that night, I was imagining myself as a Goalkeeper and it was a Mixed feeling ofExcitement and Confusion.
Mahood Sir used to train and motivate us. Days passed and our training was getting better and better. My team mates used to take penalty shootouts, corner strikes and free kick and I used to save the goals. Being agile I never hesitated in diving to save the goal. My coach taught me to cover the entire goalpost. He was very happy with my performance. When you see from a Goalkeepers view, there is lot of scope to score a Goal and its very difficult to save it. Now I was very happy being a part of my school team and we were going to participate in a inter-school competition soon.
(Moments of Testing: Tired in the extreme heat)
The tournament started and the opening match was between our school and Cambridge school. It was a under 17 year competition. I was 14 years at that time. The whistle of referee gave us a chilling moment and everyone started running after the ball. The first half was good and without any strike even near to our Goal box. We scored a Goal and won that match. There was hardly any contribution from my side as a Goalkeeper. Our winning momentum continued and with few saves from me, we qualified for the finals. The final match was a difficult one (as best teams face each other). Both sides displayed very good ball controlling techniques and the match was tied after 90minutes. It was time for the penalty shootouts. I was nervous.
Our first striker scored a goal. Now it was my turn to save the goal. The opponent striker hit the ball straight into my lap and we were ahead 0-1. Next strike from both the sides was saved. I took the third strike and scored. The opponent striker hit the bar and the ball crossed the line, it was a Goal on us. Still I was confident that we will win the match comfortably, as we were ahead 1-2 after three strikes each. It was the fourth penalty shoot, the striker was a well built athlete (may be 17 or above in age). The aggression in his eyes made me nervous and I was afraid of him. He hit the ball very hard and in a blink of eye it hit my face and it was a Goal. I was terrified. Our striker had already missed and the score now was 2-2 after four shoots each. This was the final shot and their Goalie saved the Goal with an excellent dive. Suddenly the match changed.
I had to save this goal at any cost or we would loose. A lot of thoughts were running in my mind. Diving was my strength, I could take risk of injuring myself as this was the final of a tournament. The striker came, he took a few steps, I knew he was hitting on my left, I dived hard (just a split second early) and he hit it at the center. That was a Goal. I couldn't believe it. Before I could understand anything the celebrations in the opposite camp started, all my team mates were dejected with some having tears in their eyes. I was disheartened, I lead my team down. We lost 2-3, a match that we could have won easily.
Lessons that I Learned from that Tournament
- Never be over-confident (any moment the situation can change)
- Be aware of your strength, but never underestimate your opponents strengths
- Never fear the opponent, however strong they may appear(Matches are won in the mind first)
- Never carry a 'monkey on your back', there are expectations from your coach, yourself, team mates and well wisher, just focus on giving your best each time and every time
Intermediate days of Playing Football
During my junior college days, there were a lot of players who were good at playing football. Sometimes we used to play 15 a side match (to accommodate most of the players). This time we had Farhan Khan, a better Goalkeeper than me. So I got an opportunity to play as a center forward player. My stamina of running was good, so I used to cover the entire ground from one goalpost to another. The football ground was one of its kind, well maintained grass and proper boundary lines. It is rare to find such good football grounds in this cricket dominated country. During rainy season the grass gets wet and seduced us to slide on it. This sliding on the grass gave me more flexibility to dribble and pass the ball in style. One day, in the Goal box I slide over the grass, in an attempt to score a Goal and injured my toe. It was very painful, but the site of scoring a goal was a delight to my eyes. We played football almost daily, many a times by Bunking the classes. One of the amazing record in my name is, I scored a Goal in each and every match that I played in those two years.
(Winning moments)
Those Two years of Football taught me the following things
- 'Style me rehneka'
- Scoring a Goal against 11 Players is easy compared to 15 players
- Even Pain is Pleasurable if you successfully achieve your goals
- Sometimes its okay to Bunk a class ('Because all work and No play make Tom a dull boy')
- A football player must continuously move in order to score
(Siddiqui Tareq: Our Center Forward Player and my Best Friend Holding the Trophy)
Years of Football at professional level
Inter-District Football tournaments were the highest level where I played. Though I have played from several clubs, including'Globus Football Academy', the place where I spent most of my time. I was captain in 7 a side Football tournament, which was a Fund Raising event for Aids Awareness amongst Youth. 7 a side football matches are tricky and you have to cover more ground in it. It is Physically challenging and requires more stamina.
In the Inter-District tournament we were eliminated in the Knock-Out stage. I think the reason was, lack of understanding between the team members. (No one knew the collective strengths of the team and individuals)
The Golden days of my football career were my Engineering days. Engineering is a course which is quite demanding and frustrating at times. I was doing Mechanical Engineering (We sometimes spend sleepless nights for making drawing sheets). Submission was a very stressful task. Those days I used to get Angry often because I had high expectations from everything and everyone. The intensity of anger was so much that I wished to hit someone hard, very hard. One day while playing football, I just couldn't concentrate on the game. Something was disturbing and making me angry. That day I couldn't enjoy playing football (this happened first time in my life).
That night I was just wondering how to overcome that disturbance and anger. I got the answer to it, it was 'FOOTBALL'. I realized instead of hitting 'someone' hard, I should hit 'something' hard. That something was Football itself. I used to imagine football as 'that someone's face' who made me angry. This way I learned to channelize my energy in a positive way. It made me a better footballer and a Calm person.
Winner of the Inter-Collegiate Football Tournament
(I also won First Prize in Traditional day competition, Representing Punjab- Chak De Patthe!!)
I was also the Coach of my Engineering college team. This time I started knowing the collective strengths of the team and individuals. We used to improve our strengths and overcome our weakness as a Team. We Finally won the 'Inter-Collegiate Tournament'. I was the highest goal scorer with 8 goals. Holding the winning Trophy is a Joy that has no parallel. While receiving the Trophy, I invited my entire Team on stage because it is not any individual who becomes successful, it is the TEAM that Wins.
Few more Lessons learned from Football that Transformed my Life
- Find an Opportunity and place yourself there to achieve your Goal
- Manage Anger in a positive way, Channelize your energy (Anger is energy at its full potential)
- Team Work- 'Individually one may be Talented but together you are Excellent'
- In the moments of Success- Give credit to the Team
-Mohsin Syed