First match with the U14 boys in Jaipur...

On 17th august the 2 volunteers Antje and Judith came to the village - with them former indian national hockey coach Harendra Singh – a real hockey soul and sympatic sportsmant who immediately confirmed his visit when I was inviting him. Harendra had a lot of fun with the kids playing hockey and motivating them – he told them that hockey is an intelligent sport… TV and media joined us through that wonderful day in the village and did an amazing job by featuring our story. On 18th of august we started at 6.30h in the morning with 2 rickshaws full of kids to Mandawar railway station. The kids were so excited to go by train to the big city of Jaipur - for most of them the first time in their life... When we arrived in Jaipur the school bus of the DPS school picked us up and brought us to the huge school ground. The eyes of the kids got bigger and bigger when they saw that big green grasy ground and the new school building behind. The stadium was already packed with school kids that were waiting for the match to start. The DPS U14 boys school team was sitting there in the shadow already and we had just little time to prepare our kids for the match. I brought all our sports equipment in my big suitcase - shorts, shirts, socks, protectors... only the shoes kids were wearing already... Like on an assembly line Chandu and I were putting protectors and socks on the skinny legs of the kids. Lokesh our goalie was pushed into the goalie equipment that was far too big for him and on the way out he lost already half of it. The walk into the stadium was guided by TV cameras and the yelling crowd of students. Our kids had to line up at the middle line - facing the much taller and older DPS players. When the match started, our boys seemed to be lost on the huge grassy ground. After 10 minutes we were already 0:3 behind and I thought that match will end with 20:0! Harendra on one side of the field, me and Chandu on the other side and Antje next to the goal we tried our best to coach the kids but nobody really seemed to listen. After those starting minutes the team realised that this match will break their neck when they don't start moving - so they arranged themselves and started fighting like they fight in the village! Half break was 0:4 but that was not important - the kids got some confidence and adjusted themselves to the big ground and the gras. In the second half we even had 2 chances to score a goal, but the opponent goalkeeper was just too big - he was adult size...We lost the match 0:6 but non of he boys was sad or disappointed - they even didn't have the time to do so as the media was attacking them and they had to give interviews and pose for pictures. I was so proud of them all! Journalist were asking me why I come all the way from Germany to teach the kids hockey and english in such a remote village - I just told them: look at these kids, then you know why - whatever you invest in them you will get it a 100 times back... After a really good lunch at school the kids had to dress up again and we were waiting for the school bus to the railway station. The kids were looking on the green ground and one of them was asking me if they can play again. One, two, three... all were on the ground again, playing, rolling on the gras, enjoying themselves - it was so great to see.... With glowing eyes we made them get on the bus to the railway station, where we met the indian national goalkeeper Baljit Singh that was joining us to the village... Lokesh was so proud to see this famous man and he has a new idol now... The next day Harendra, Baljit and I went back to Delhi and I had a night flight back to Germany... Will be back in october - hopefully forever... Miss the kids and the village alreay!