The day I was resurrected…

Well the incident that I am going to narrate is 10 years old but remains eternally fresh in my memory log. I was in standard IX and joined a new school due to my father''s transfer from Sonpur to Angul. I was admitted in Angul High School and had a very good reputation in sports. I was a total sports freak and got very excited. As I was a fairly striker, I always dreamed to become a part of the school football team.

Since, the team was full and there was no scope for me to break into the team, I considered it as a dream and chances of fulfilling it was very grim. So, I stopped thinking about it and started concentrating on my studies. But the love that I had for the game, it always pulled me to the practice ground and everyday I used to spend an hour on the ground and watched the players practice. So, this routine continued and once I actually bunked tuition to watch the practice. By now I had made friends with the guys who played for the team. So on that fateful day, they invited me over to play with them. During the course of the game I was tripped by the defender as was awarded a penalty. I was allowed to take the spot kick as we were just playing for fun. I struck the ball so hard that the custodian actually strained his right wrist trying to stop the ball. He fell to ground immediately holding his wrist between his legs. Everyone went upto him and were trying to pacify the pain by trying out different methods of first-aid. I felt very bad to see him writhe in pain and also got scared at the same time thinking what would happen. I got back to my wits and was about to escape, when the coach walked upto me and took me to the side. I got very scared and did not know how to react. I thought he would report the incident to our principal. But no, he asked me if I had football kits. I affirmed and after that he asked me to come over for the practice as I was officially inducted into the team.


After that day there was nothing which could stop me and I played my first match against PTC. I was given a place in the starting eleven. Oh, god what a glory that match brought to me! I scored the lone goal of the match with a nice curling shot to the right corner. If the earlier strike earned me a spot in the team, this shot earned me fame and accolades. After that I represented for next 3 years on a trot and never failed to work my charm on the field. That one kick is what I say resurrected me and got penetrated so deep in my brain that I wonder whether that day would ever wither from my memory log.


Saurav Pradhan
Angul High School
batch 2000