The BOSM English Press (BEP) reached out to Mohit Sharma, the Captain of the Boys’ Volleyball Team, for a conversation about the upcoming fest.

Volleyball is a team sport played between two teams of seven players each (with six each, on the court at any given time). Matches consist of three or five sets, depending on the progression of the tournament, and are played on a best-of-three (or five) sets’ basis. Each position on the court is assigned a number, and players cycle through these positions clockwise during the course of the match. Points are scored mainly by grounding the ball on the opponent’s side of the court.

Mohit is a fourth-year student at BITS Pilani. He started playing volleyball in the eighth grade, but had to drop it once he reached the tenth grade. His passion motivated his decision to continue when he reached college. While he has no plans to become a professional, he intends to keep playing the game, saying ‘I won’t take it [up] professionally, but I’ll continue it.’ He asserted his readiness to balance it with a job or any other commitments he would take up in the future.

He said that he was ‘surprised by the workload and responsibilities one comes across while being the team captain’, he also admitted that when he was initially selected as the captain, he ‘felt that it would be a simple task.’ He then added that the team was incomplete due to the pandemic, in terms of the ‘bonding achieved and interactions between members.’ He was pleased to note progress on that end, with players regularly attending practice, communicating, and enjoying the game. Another issue was teaching the basics of the sport to those who did not know how to play, and having players undergo specific training according to their specialist positions. He also needed injured players to recuperate properly, and motivate those in low spirits. He further added that even building the team had proven to be a herculean task, due to the pandemic.

As a captain, Mohit is big on discipline and punctuality. According to him, it is a captain’s job to lead the game. ‘If [you’re] a captain, it’s a very big responsibility,’ he stated. He also remarked that his game improved a lot after becoming captain, thanks to overseeing training regimens and taking a lot of time every day to focus on the sport. The volleyball team has one of the most intense practice schedules, with the team arriving before and leaving after all others in the morning, and most in the evening. 

When asked about his interactions with the stakeholders organizing BOSM, Mohit shared that the team was on good terms with the institute. He added that the sports faculties and GymG staff were very understanding of their requirements. He was especially happy with the GymG staff, who he thanked for being very approachable whenever he or the team needed help, and making their work easier. He said that he did not have many meetings with the CoSSAc, but they had been supportive in all their interactions with him.

He admitted that balancing sports and academics was a challenge for him and his teammates, a challenge he had now overcome. He credited this to his intense study schedule during the drop year he took, during which he got used to studying for extended periods of time. While he gives his best when on the court, he devotes any free time he finds to his academics, this however, took a toll on his social life. He expressed gratitude to his friends for being supportive and helping him focus while the team prepares for the tournament. Confident and brimming with excitement, Mohit expects a great BOSM ‘22.