After a long day, full of classes and tiring hockey practice, the captain of the BITS Hockey team, Devesh Kumar was able to squeeze in some time to talk to the BOSM English Press.
Devesh stated that he had been very inclined towards sports throughout his childhood. Since his father was in the Railways, he spent his formative years engaging in and exploring sports such as Tennis, Badminton, Football, Cricket, and Hockey. After coming to BITS, he felt that the Hockey Team was the only team which was consistent and regular in their practice. He found his peers to be extremely passionate and motivated.
He explained that the Hockey team had started practising daily for four and a half to five hours since campus reopened. The practice is divided into two sessions, the early morning session, stretching from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM and the evening session, starting at 5:00 PM, and continuing till 8:00 PM. Devesh considers the team to be highly determined and regular. Owing to these qualities, they won a silver medal at IIT BHU’s sports fest last semester and a bronze medal in the last BOSM. The captain added that he expects the team members to be punctual and attentive during practice, owing to the importance it holds.
Devesh expressed his concerns regarding the absence of floodlights over the hockey ground. He pointed out that a regular Hockey ball is quite heavy and if the players cannot see the ball while playing in the dark, they are bound to get severely injured. He has spoken to the authorities, who have assured him that floodlights will be installed during BOSM.
He emphasised the importance of sportsmanship and building chemistry among the players. He advises his team members to be more patient and to avoid taking unnecessary risks and exhausting themselves. According to him, the real problem is the pressure and tension that comes along with the responsibility. However, being the captain, he tries to maintain a calm demeanour, and trains his mind strategically to not let any anxiety or stress affect his performance.
Mainly, he expects his players to learn from the high-pressure conditions they will face during BOSM. He wants his team to emerge mentally stronger than ever by gaining more match experience.
Devesh advised the general BITSians to be more disciplined and regular with their lives. Being a captain, he has seen many mishaps solely due to lack of sleep and unhealthy lifestyle. He explained how Hockey has helped him induce the discipline and motivation he needed in his life.