I'm the Indian Inline Hockey team. Unfortunately, I could not make it to the team that year. I was discouraged and wanted to give up, but surprisingly all the criticism that came my way as a result, made me want to keep going and that’s when I decided that the only way to go from there was forward.
Soon after that, I tried out for the Indian Ice Hockey team and the next thing I knew was that I was on the roster. That was a huge confidence booster for me, I finally felt like the work that I had been putting in was starting to pay off. Days before we were to play the Challenge Cup of Asia in Malaysia that year, I was named the Alternate Captain or the Assistant Captain of the team which most certainly was the best thing that happened to me that year.
It was an incredible experience representing our country at such a platform and I couldn’t just live it once, I had to make sure I was consistent so I could get the privilege to wear the tricolor again next year and the year after and so on. Speaking of which, I went on to try out for the Indian Inline Hockey team again next year. IIt was the same amount of pressure as I had the previous year but I was lucky enough to get a different outcome. I hadn’t just made it to the roster of 16 players but was also named the Alternate Captain of the team which again felt like an accomplishment to me. I had gone from ranking 24th in the country (the previous year) to ranking 2nd in the country (year 2018). The world championship was definitely a blast and another one of the times we all got the opportunity to do something representing the nation.
Months later, we participated in the Asian Championship and won the bronze medal which was a historic moment for all of us because that was the first time that the Indian Inline Hockey team had won a medal at all ever! After having played these championships and having gone through so much, there was no looking back.
The year after, in 2019, I played my first championship as the Alternate Captain of the Sr. Men’ National Team and set my personal career record of Vishal Jawahrani, a 21 year old Student-Athlete based in Mumbai, India, born and brought up in Jalgaon, a small town in the state of Maharashtra. I play Inline Hockey and Ice Hockey, two not so prominent sports in India.
I started skating when I was a little over three years old. A few years later, my then coach thought it was time for me to compete at speed skating championships. For about 4 years since, until I was about 9 years old, I participated in several races. My last race was the state championship of 2009 where I ranked 2nd. Although that was my personal best, my career as a speed skater plummeted right after due to several reasons - discouragement, criticism and lack of motivation being the major ones.
That was the end of my career as a speed skater but I didn’t want to stop skating, so I started exploring what I could do with my skates still on. Not long after, I found out about roller hockey as a sport and started playing it. I went on to play state and national level championships thereafter. Although, I had not been thinking of it as my primary career option because while growing up, people around me saw sports and games as nothing but a pastime activity or a hobby.
My life took an interesting turn in the academic year 2015-16, when I stayed in the US as a Rotary International Exchange Student. I went to Great Valley High School and also played Ice Hockey as a part of the high school team. I was also exposed to Major League Sports which is how I realised what the opportunities are that sports and games as a career would have to offer. It changed my perspective on hockey, the way I looked at hockey and even the way I trained. I started working towards a goal - to play in the major leagues one day.
After a year since I had come back to India, in the year 2017, I tried out for
the Indian Inline Hockey team. Unfortunately, I could not make it to the team that year. I was discouraged and wanted to give up, but surprisingly all the criticism that came my way as a result, made me want to keep going and that’s when I decided that the only way to go from there was forward.
Soon after that, I tried out for the Indian Ice Hockey team and the next thing I knew was that I was on the roster. That was a huge confidence booster for me, I finally felt like the work that I had been putting in was starting to pay off. Days before we were to play the Challenge Cup of Asia in Malaysia that year, I was named the Alternate Captain or the Assistant Captain of the team which most certainly was the best thing that happened to me that year.
It was an incredible experience representing our country at such a platform and I couldn’t just live it once, I had to make sure I was consistent so I could get the privilege to wear the tricolor again next year and the year after and so on. Speaking of which, I went on to try out for the Indian Inline Hockey team again next year. IIt was the same amount of pressure as I had the previous year but I was lucky enough to get a different outcome. I hadn’t just made it to the roster of 16 players but was also named the Alternate Captain of the team which again felt like an accomplishment to me. I had gone from ranking 24th in the country (the previous year) to ranking 2nd in the country (year 2018). The world championship was definitely a blast and another one of the times we all got the opportunity to do something representing the nation.
Months later, we participated in the Asian Championship and won the bronze medal which was a historic moment for all of us because that was the first time that the Indian Inline Hockey team had won a medal at all ever! After having played these championships and having gone through so much, there was no looking back.
The year after, in 2019, I played my first championship as the Alternate Captain of the Sr. Men’ National Team and set my personal career record of
scoring 2 goals against very competitive teams at the World Roller Games in Barcelona, while also being one of the top defensemen on the roster.
Speaking of challenges, it is pretty ironic because while challenges tend to bring most people down, the challenges that I have faced have only helped me push back harder and come back a stronger version of myself. But if I were to name a few then rejection and criticism would be two of the major challenges I have always faced. Aside from the above, injuries have always been a part of my journey. In fact, after having watched and played competitive hockey in America, I realized that there is no hockey without injuries because of its pace and its aggressive nature. So I never really saw injuries as a challenge although they did put me on bed rest for months together a few times over the years but again - just a part of the journey.
Hockey, undoubtedly, called for a lot of challenges but the amazing moments that came along with the challenges wouldn't have been worth so much without the hard times, and that makes those moments unforgettable. The most incredible thing that hockey has brought to me is the realization that I can help my underclassmen and the other athletes look at sports and games the way I have seen it these past few years, and that I can help them be better versions of themselves to get closer to their goals each day.
It is such an amazing feeling to see how far I and my teammates have come from where we all started - both individually and as Team India as well. It has certainly been a terrific journey for me and ‘the boys’ so far. I like to believe what they (anonymous) say “Life is like a hockey game and each chance you get is like a puck. You need to make sure that you take the hardest slap shot you can to every puck that you touch!” In simpler terms, we need to make the most out of every opportunity that we get each day. With that being said, I’m definitely looking forward to what’s coming our way, with the goal of making my countrymen proud and inspiring as many as I can along the way.
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