To all women who strive for excellence,
As the Indian Women’s hockey team gears up to represent the country in the 18th Asian Games, I would like to take this opportunity to wish them every success in their endeavours.
You young ladies bring alive a sense of pride in me as I realise that the culture of sport in this country—especially for women—is improving. I personally trained for hockey early in my life with the end goal of wearing the Indian team jersey. I feel that the most important gift that parents can give to their children is to allow them to develop a true passion for any sport and to develop that passion on their own terms.
As a player of the sport, I can assure you that there is a plethora of things to learn from hockey. The game involves quick action and reaction from players, that will enable you to establish better hand-eye coordination and at the same time understand the spirit of teamwork. In my opinion, hockey is a sport that offers a total body workout, including both aerobic and anaerobic elements. The fast-paced nature of the sport provides aerobic exercise, while the reliance on all of the body’s major muscle groups also makes it an anaerobic activity. The result is a number of health benefits to the body, both physically and mentally. The game gives you a boost of confidence and strikes a perfect balance between physical and mental wellbeing.
Apart from learning the technicalities of the game, you will learn life lessons that will help you evolve as a person and will prove invaluable. Speaking from my personal experience, I can affirmatively say that hockey allowed me to embody the experience of not just winning, but also the experience of losing gracefully. The game will teach you that it is the process of carrying on and clearing hurdles, which really builds confidence. This, I believe, is an incredibly useful ground for learning the dynamics of leadership, and you will need this as you establish control in other aspects of your lives as well.
The major roadblock in my life was when I was forced to give up the game. During those dark two years, what kept me going is the most important lesson I learnt—that it doesn’t matter how many times you fall, what matters is how you bounce back. The game also taught me that success does not come to anyone served on a silver platter. One has to work hard and just not give up.
It is my hope that my story will inspire young women out there to push for greatness and take up hockey just as a game to enjoy to begin with.
I would like to end this by saying, continue to dream big and by doing so, empower the women around you to be just as bold in their pursuits. When you empower one another, you strengthen the nation.
Sandeep Singh, formerly a star penalty corner specialist in the Indian national hockey team, was left partially paralysed in 2006 after an accidental gunshot wound. Soorma, a biopic by Sony Pictures Networks Productions set to release on July 13, follows his struggle through his injury and return to the sport after two years. Singh went on to become the captain of the team in 2009
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