Members - Share Your Sports Interests

[BSharma]

Prasenjit wrote in another threrad:

... As a kid, I used to be in the track and field team and played more football than cricket.  Actually, I played baseball as a 5 or 6 year old at school and hockey at 4th grade too, none of them for long.  I know PKB used to be in track and tennis.  Would the others share their sporting glories with us?

Please share your sports interests, glories, achievements, or name of the sports that you play on a regular basis.  You could also name the professional sports teams that you like to watch on TV or live.  This thread is not about determining whom amongst us is the best sportsman, but what sports do we like to be involved in regularly. 

[prasen9]

I will eat my own dogfood.  I play cricket and football(soccer) during the good weather days here in Happy Valley where it rains about nine months a year   I have tried my hand (or feet) at track, baseball, hockey, badminton, table tennis, and tennis and am proud to let you know that I was never any good in any of these sports to represent anything beyond the school or college level.  The only thing I was college level was sprints (100m, 110 hurdle, and 4x100 relay), won some at the inter-hall tournaments in college and was asked to go for  the morning training for the inter-IIT team only in my final year.  However, I was too lazy to wake up at 5am and decided I was already doing too much in college (was in the debate-team, drama, etc.) and forsook that offer.  My best time in the 100 was 11.75sec, which is perhaps worse than the college-level women's times here.  I forgot the times for 110 hurdle, but it must have been equally slow.  I got asthma, so I quit running 800 when I was in 7th or 8th grade.  Recreationally, I have tried yoga, iceskating and skiing, not that great in any.  My wife jokes that I spent too much time at Stanford deciding which among the different yoga and tennis courses I should take.  I took a few there because it was free; registering for 8 units of research and 1 unit of tennis was infinitely more appealing to me than 9 units of research that most people did.

[BSharma]

Prasenjit wrote:

Actually, I played baseball as a 5 or 6 year old at school...

Did you play baseball in India or did you go to school in US and play baseball?  Back in 1959, a couple of American guys spent some time at my school in India and they introduced a sort-of-baseball at my school.  They brought baseball bats with them and we used tennis balls to pitch because nobody had baseball gloves to field the hard ball.  We played it more like softball (pitching wise) and later when these Americans left, we started playing baseball using a soccer ball and using our legs as bats.

[BSharma]

Come on guys and gals and share your interests in sports.  Prasenjit and I are eager to learn about the sports you play or played regularly, sports teams that you follow or any thing else that you think is worthwhile.  I can't imagine that none of you enjoy being on the sports field as a player or spectator.  You don't have to be as good as PKB or Saandeep or Dhruv to talk about your sports interests.  Just because many of us are probably weekend warriors should not stop us from telling Sania Mirza how to play tennis or giving our opinion on who should represent India in Davis Cup competition. 

[gbelday]

OK, where is the trumpet?

Back in India, all I played were snooker and table tennis   Played a lot of gully cricket and a few matches in the F2 league in Hyderabad (which is below A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3....you get the idea).  Sandeep or any other Hyderabadi who is into sports would surely know what I mean by F2 league. I played for MCC (Marredpally Cricket Club )  Most of the guys in the MCC club ended up playing for A1, A2 leagues and some even played in the Indian baseball team that toured Japan and South Korea (but lost miserably).  This was back in 1989/1990.

Once I came to the US, I was a Volleyball referee for year (played little) at the University of Miami.  I worked 20 hours a week as a referee and got paid for it!  Sometime in 1996, I got into running and did a few 5ks in the first year (started with Chase Corporate Challenge).  My boss then, Ken Weissman (great guy), was the one who got me interested in running. He is an experinced triathelete and he got a bunch of us kids excited about running.  I've been running 5ks and 10ks every year since then.  I did a 1/2 marathon in 1999 when I was in my peak running shape. I hope to run the marathon some day but don't have the time to train.  My knees are bothering me as well.  I used to do quite a bit of swimming and completed a mini triatholon back in 2000 - am in no shape to try that again anytime soon.

I know that some of our forumers have achieved quite a bit and it will be intereting to know about their exploits.  I know Sanjay and SKS have run the marathon, Dhruv and Jaydeep are good swimmers and have competed at a high level..etc.

[BSharma]

Thanks Gautam for sharing your sports interests.  A volleyball ref, eh ...but you did not tell us about playing volleyball in India? 

Gautam wrote:

...and Jaydeep are good swimmers and have competed at a high level..etc.

I thought I knew everything about my nephew Jaydeep and now Gautam is telling me that Jaydeep is a good swimmer also!  Where did I go wrong and miss such a thing about Jaydeep. 

It is time for Jaydeep to come out clean and tell his uncle about things that he doesn't know plus what others don't know about our man in Pune. 

[Sathya]

Be prepared to read a long story.

In general, my town Tiruvannamalai is famous for eternal peace and divine with the proud possession of the sacred shrine of Lord Arunachaleswara (Shiva) and Ashrams (http://www.geocities.com/Tiruvannamalainet/).

In sports and games, my town was famous for mainly Volleyball with two India players (to my knowledge) one is our former India Boost (before Sridharan) Manoharan who was later coaching TN and India. He was a boost. another one is Chandrasekaran who played for India in South Asian games in Chennai. He works for Indian Bank. So, obviously my dream was to become a good volleyball player and play for State (thats all my dream was.. to play for state). But since we had only 2 grounds where regularly volleyball is played, I could not find a place initially to play. So, I started with Basketball as there was a coach waiting but not many people came forward to that stranger sports. Basket Ball court is just next to volleyball court. Once volleyball players finish their games, our gang (small boys) will start playing Volleyball for 10 minutes. Finally I found one ex-player who was interested in grooming next generation of players for Tiruvannamalai and I started learning volleyball seriously under him. I spent time with him in early morning and in the evening was playing in school.  I became captain of school volleyball team. mainly because of this and other extra curricular activities, I was not a good academic student.

In my boyhood (till age 12) I used to think TT is tennis. I used to play with TT bat hitting against wall thinking myself to be John McEnroe and Amirthraj. Only when I was 18 I knew TT and Tennis is different.

I was part of my college B team (Gandhigram Rural Institute - deemed university) till first year end. Then I kind of realized that I may not reach the level of state player. I decided to concentrate on studies and put all that energy I gained through sports into studies and secured first rank. Those 5 years of hard work in sports even now help me stay active and energetic. Being a sports man, I was part of all the other games team for annual intra college sports. I got nicely from my football captain once for playing a volleyball style defense at the ball that came very fast near our goal. Penalty stroke was awarded and goal scored by opponent team. That was end of my football adventure.

I then tried my hand in Table Tennis as that was the only game possible in our office.

I played Tennis for the first time when I was in US for two months in 2004.

Now a days I don't play any sports except sometime running around with my son. I may go along with my son to learn whatever sports he will learn.

Pretty much I played all the team games including Kabaddi. Only game I never played is CRICKET as it was not that popular in our place at that time (not any more).

[prasen9]

I went to school in Bengal.  I don't remember very well since it was in kindergarten or first grade.  Our teachers used four sacks as the four bases and someone got baseball bats from somewhere.  We must have played with soft balls or tennis balls because we did not use any helmets.  I think only the catcher may have had gloves and the rest went bare.  I have always wondered where we got even the bats and catcher gloves and who introduced it in our school, but I did not find out.

Oh, I forgot to add that I sometimes play in the recreational volleyball class here run by the Centre County Parks and Recreation and did some swimming too.  And, I have played kabaddi and kho-kho in school and neighbourhood games.  However, this should take the cake: I once competed in weight-lifting in our college in the inter-hall competition.  I think there were some points at stake if one was within the top-5 or six and there were very few competitiors.  So, being a loyal soldier, I participated for our hall in weightlifting   I may have got them a point or two by placing in the top 5 --- maybe there were 7 participants or so   I used to weigh 120 pounds then and got serious needling from my friends.  But at least I learnt the techniques for snatch, and clean and jerk, etc. and the basic rules.

I have high cholesterol and I hate machines, so I try to walk, run, or get into different classes that the town runs to get my exercise.

Yes, folks, I am eager to know about the rest of you....

[BSharma]

Now that we know what sports do Prasenjit, Gautam and Sathya enjoy participating in on a regular or irregular basis, it is time for other members to join in and tell us about themselves.  We hear bits and pieces about our members' interests e.g., Arjun does long distance running, but do tell us what else do you do in your spare time.  I may have to nudge PKB and ask him to put in one place all the various sports that he has played or still play.

How many SI members know that we have at least two members who have played Eton Fives? 

Sania and many other Indian tennis players are recuperating from their injuries, the Indo-Pak cricket series wont take place until some more time, there is a lull in sports activities and not much to discuss in the forum, and this is a good time to bring up new and interesting issues.  Prasenjit came up with a good idea and let us keep it alive. 

[insideout]

I used to be involved in lots of sports activities.... I used to play tennis, volleyball and basket ball during school days. I play basketball regularly even now... and theres cricket, everyone has played it, I am no exception! Being a major motor sports fan, its highly unfortunate that I am not able to get much of track time here in India, I just have to settle with driving my car or riding my bike at high speeds (In a way that doesnt pose any danger to me or the people around me on the road)

[S_K_S]

I am an amateur runner. I have completed a few marathons and half marathons and like the challenge that running poses. My list of illnesses would occupy a long page so I like the challenge of doing things which are against the odds. It's also  good stress reliever. Can't say I am a very fast runner but I am built for endurance rather than speed! Took it up to lose weight and get fit and though I still have a tendency for my weight to yo-yo during non-training times, I still try and run regularly.

Other than that I follow each and every sport, even darts! I think sailing is the only sport I can't get the hang of.

I'll own up and say that I am one of the members who used to play Eton fives. I used to be crazy about the sport at school. I would plead with teachers to let me go 5 minutes before the lunch break so I could go and "bag" a court. I think I have never had so much fun playing any sport as much as I did playing fives.

[BSharma]

I wrote:

How many SI members know that we have at least two members who have played Eton Fives? 

Samarth replied:

I'll own up and say that I am one of the members who used to play Eton fives. I used to be crazy about the sport at school. I would plead with teachers to let me go 5 minutes before the lunch break so I could go and "bag" a court. I think I have never had so much playing any sport as much as I did playing that.

Now that we know about Samarth being an Eton Fives player, will the second SI member who played this game stand up and be counted? 

Thanks to all those who have shared their sporting experiences and I hope that others will follow.  This would also be a good thread to ask advice from those who have achieved a high level of success in a particular sport.

[Kothai]

I played and participated in lots of sports activities from my childhood days onward...

The 1st one I remember is potato race in my LKG class... 
Co Co in middle school, Volley ball from High school till College

Played volley for my entertainment in Minneapolis (everyday evening during summer) were I worked for a while.. the different thing about that is I was the only female among the players

My speciality in school and college was track (short distance only) and field events..represented my school in district meets .. Was school and college individual champion (I don't consider these championships as great because I didn't have much competition to win those medals..)

Actually wanted to join the sports school after my 5th grade.. as usual parents denied and I ended up in a engineering college .. now working in IT field..

I am very happy that I joined this forum (Thanks to Gautam ) ... felt like (at last) found some body who has the same passion for sports...

Used to follow soccer, Hockey , Tennis, some wrestling too and cricket during school days..

Tennis being my all time favorite.. lost interest in cricket, football and hockey after a while ..

Followed the whole world cup football matches in 1990 .. watched Argentina loose their 1st match and the Finals match.. Had a great time because my sisters were supporting Argentina.. I am the only one who was supporting Germany in my home . ..

Used to watch Mogan bagan  and East bengal foot ball matches in DD those days...

My school test scores used to vary based on steffi's match results on that particular day..
Can't forget the 1990 and 1992 French Open matches against Seles (my sister used to like Seles so imagine the torture)..

Used to fight for Hindu and Indian express sports pages ..

Nowadays trying to hit sixes with tennis balls..
Also started serious practice for a Half Marathon event... this is my 1st serious training after a long long time to get myself fit.. (after school days I think.. )

Okay finished bragging..

[usaindian]

i have played little bit of  gulli cricket  during summer  hollidays or after finishing exams as a kid. we  used to play a lot of badminton during that time frame with my brothers and neighboring kids .In Engineering i started  learning TT and continued  for 2years .during masters i started playing little bit basketball and i still remember my making first 2pointer during 5 on 5 pick up games with americans.
now a days fooseball is big for me

[gbelday]

Way to go Kothai!! Good luck with the 1/2 marathon!!  We miss you here in NY.