I am slowly posting the interviews from my week with Slum Soccer in Nagpur last April. I never thought it would take this long but their stories are so inspiring and tough to hear sometimes that I need more time with each post than planned. With that said, this is another Slum Soccer coach's story about how hard work can make anything possible. (It is a direct translation from Marathi to English).
As always, I asked, " So, what's your story? Why are you coaching and playing football now?" This is his story.
"Let me start before 2008. I was living with some very violent people who did drugs frequently. In 2008, I joined sports and started playing football. Football impacted my life is so many ways, especially by improving me. I joined here in 2008 when I finished my 10th standard/grade and started playing state and nation level football (soccer). I did well in the trials for the state football level and around that time I also found out that I passed my tenth standard (grade) tests. I was later selected to go to Poland for the Homeless World Cup.
When our founder here (who was more of a father figure and mentor to these boys) found out about my 10th standard scores and that I passed, he told me one thing which was "to keep learning and keep playing." Since I started playing, I was also developing a football group near my house which I helped to "coach" and make sure it progressed. It is more for all sports. I always played football there and helped others through it. Now I am coaching here at Slum Soccer. I coach one girls team and then I play on one team through Slum soccer in the afternoons. I play football all day.
Day One
The first day when I went to play football I had a lot of fun, but I was so tired after playing that day. My coach told me that I was getting tired and don't have much stamina because of the drugs that I was involved with. That stayed in my mind and after a long while I quit doing all of that. Football has helped me get away from it. Also, people started knowing me as the "football guy" because I played all the time after a point. That became my name. People who associated me with my father seemed proud of me playing so often.
Football got me away from such things like drugs, but I am not saying that I stop spending time and living with my old friends who are still involved in drugs themselves. I don't do any of that myself now but I do try to improve their habits. I have been able to help one of my best friend stop smoking and that friend tells people that he won't do drugs or anything because he has given me his word. Some of my friends used to keep insisting that I take drugs again even after I quit. I eventually started telling them that I will just leave if they keep asking me to take that and that I have higher expectations for myself now. Those boys have now stopped asking me that and won't mention it around me. They all stop doing it around me too. I think I would give all the credit to beginning to play football."
His Hard work Theory
When I was later selected for a state tournament and an international tournament, I saw that there are many other players who were amazing and better players than I was but were not selected. All I learned through that moment was that with hardwork you are unstoppable and can achieve anything.
I lied about playing in the beginning because my family was not supportive. When my father saw that I can play and have talent he started being supportive, especially after I was selected for tournaments. There were a few times when I told my mom that I was going to my friend's place but I was really heading to the field. Now I don't have to lie anymore and continue to stay away from drugs, all because of football and hard work."
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