Sounds an inspiring title, isn’t? That’s what I thought too when I read the ITPL-Sports meet banner the first time. Hush……..yes, yes the title isn’t my creativity!
For those of you who are not aware of – ITPL (International Tech Park Limited, Bangalore) is a Tech park embracing 200+ companies with 24k people working all day. And every year by this season, a 10-15 day ITPL sports event is organised for the employees. Huge play ground, lots of participants (meaning lots of handsome players ;)), hell a lot of cheer-up groups and a heartless Sun!
If there should be something which had left a deep regret in my life, it’s definitely that I missed to be a dynamic player on the school grounds. I don’t know why there wasn’t a motivation in me as a child but I remember all those players on the ground were my fantasy heroes. I thought when I grow up I would like to marry a foot ball or a basket ball player (See, I was too young to fantasize a software guy that time ;)) but how silly, even at that age, I was worried if he would like me in return because I was not a player 🙁
In school, sports events was all about fighting for the spirit of our team. Like how Northies and Southies in India get united during a cricket match against Pakistan, so were the seniors and juniors of the same house in school. Though I wasn’t a smart player, I had been averagely good at screaming in chorus along with the crowd for the team (Sometimes I hardly understood if my team got a goal or lost one, but that didn’t matter; the spirit of screaming knew no boundaries). So such were the days of the yellow, blue, red, green shirts with white divided skirts, white socks and white canvas shoes (which used to be polished with white chalk before our PT master came for the check :)).
College was another time of legend in sports! The compulsory PT classes, matches and sports day were no more. Did that mean we girls didn’t step on to the grounds? NO! We did! Why? There was only one reason – Guys! That was a fantastic period in life I can recall. That was the best place to silently admire all our crushes. Out of the 100s of students in groups on the ground, it never took more than few seconds to spot where our that guy stands. And then starts that few hours movie of tracking and exchanging glances amidst the pretends to watch the match. I know most girls and boys landed on the ground for this movie. And today I am not ashamed of those little cranky feelings, I can only call them as days of heaven when the heart just felt what it ought to feel at that age and moment and there wasn’t a mind to interfere about the ‘if’s and ‘but’s.
And today standing again in the play ground, having been metamorphosed from a student to a professional for few years by now, I could reflect and recall how the priorities of my mind and heart have changed over the years during the sports events. Neither team spirit nor guys now! (Not that I have become old, just that my crushes have become workaholics and don’t get to come to the grounds :(). Ha!
I admired how much alive the ground was during the events! Well, apart from the little fun, the point I want to make here is that already out of student life and into their careers and families, many working people cease to enjoy the spirit and glory of sports. I saw the energy to jump, run and smash, the unity and the passion to win in the players today. I don’t know how many will actually continue to play after these 10 days. But for all those once-upon-a-time players reading this post, please make an effort to restart your muscles. It gives a lot of meaning to your existence. I am not a player myself, so I might not exactly know what it feels to play, but if you were/are a player, you would know what it does to you. So against all your odds, take a step, collect your friends and jump, run and smash!
Guys, it’s ok to work hard as long as you play harder!
Photo Courtesy
ITPL – http://en.wikipedia.org
PSG CAS Basket Ball Match – www.psgcas.ac.in
Sports – www.imyideas .com
hmmm a little different topic,I see your entering new grounds as well……good ,like it
Today’s volley ball matches were too inspiring. It was a spontaneous write up, soon after we came back from the grounds. Thanks!
Superb…..cud live those playground moments!
This is one hell of a post…..just loved spontaneity! Please do write more of these….!
//Did that mean we girls didn’t step on to the grounds? NO! We did! Why? There was only one reason – Guys! That was a fantastic period in life I can recall. That was the best place to silently admire all our crushes. Out of the 100s of students in groups on the ground, it never took more than few seconds to spot where our that guy stands.//
Cool…..that you cud speak up so much from the heart!
Gud one, been a lol for a few minutes! 🙂
Thanks Hari!
//Cool…..that you cud speak up so much from the heart!//
Before I created pages from serendipity, I thought all that this blog can do is help me satisfy my writing passion (As a child, when elders asked me what do you want to become, I said spontaneously ‘a writer’ though I hardly knew what writers exactly did).
Gradually with every blog post, I’ve seen myself getting the courage to move out of my shell. To break open our mental shells, I’ve realized, is the key to think, listen, speak, write and act from our hearts. Grateful to this blogging concept!
I never knew writing can do so much in our lives. I am sure being a successful writer, you can relate to this.
Hey Nandhini,
World’s second best love story:
http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=46697
(World’s best love story: Guy proposes girl. Girl says No. And he lives happily ever after.. ) 🙂
Pls promote/vote for my blog at above url.
Cheers !!
Btw, hilarious read..brought back a lotta ol memories whr I hd no clue of football but ws the replacement fr a star player who gt injured. I ws told to just keep kickin the ball n keep screamin which i did in full glory; eventually, even the audience wr wondrin y the hell ws I screamin so happily even whn I passed the ball to the other team guys. Also the many volleyball games tht i attended just so tht i cud see the gals 🙂 But I like that u brought up an all important fact with all our lives tht what we were in college is slowly deterioratin within us as we try 2 make a livelihood n tht we need2do sumthin bout tht. I’ve heard so many ppl say they wr gud at this n tht at college but nw r not. Love tht u brought it up in tht truly unique way of urs. Great read, Nandhini.
Rock On n do Vote.
🙂
Hey Raj,
I wish I can vote if indiblogger gives me a chance to vote for the second time……..C’mon man, my voting is already done!
//I screamin so happily even whn I passed the ball to the other team guys.//
I wasn’t that bad at all then 🙂
Yes Raj, I wish we get many many play ground sessions in life again and again.
Best Wishes for the contest! Kudos to your vote demanding spirit 😆
ITPL’s 15 day sports events! That’s interesting! Should be the one of its kind in India – an event organised by SEZs!!
Lol @ using chalk instead of polish! Ha…how funny those days were! At school, games and sports were beyond group houses! I was in Emerald but supported Ruby, just for Reens!
And Thanks for bringing back those good old reminiscences!!
Hee hehe……me too me too in emerald!! Our passion for green colour was awfully awful those days 😆 I feel our school stood great when it came to sports with the huuuuuge ground we had had. Many of my memorable moments of school were on the grounds than class rooms 🙂 You remember the big notice board we had at the entry of our class room with charts of the four houses, captains and members? Lovely were those days! And Reena….what a player! I remember her playing and running so much that her red ribbon will be all the time floating in the air 😉
Nice to recollect it all Anu!
Nice post and I have to agree that you can work hard if you can play harder… I have been a workaholic since my childhood but somehow I have always managed to bring in time for playing. Initially I was passionate about cycling, kho kho, running etc and now it is indoor games like carrom, computer games etc.
You bring the memories of my time spent in Bangalore.
Glad to hear this Farila Ji. Thanks for your time.