Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Nats & Sne

It was 5.45 am on a Monday morning , bang in the middle of June when the alarm rang to the tune of "backstreets back alright!" - screaming out loud the 90's pop music boyband mania! Sne streched out with an agitated look on her face and switched off her alarm. Her next wake up call was from her mom who shouted out from the kitchen "Sneeeee....wake up!!! or else you'll be late for hockey practice again!" "Yeah alright Ma...just 2 minutes more" Sne replied groggily. Just then her beloved pet cat jumped on her stomach to find a comfortable snoozing spot and that was enough to wake her up. She sat up in bed almost immediately and ran to get ready. Her dad was already awake sipping coffee and reading the newspaper, waiting to drop her off to school. "Such a dedicated kid" he said to himself "first she goes to hockey practice and then to school the whole day". Sne was indeed what you may call a good kid! - capable in both academics and sports (by which is meant hockey). She was a Left Back in her school hockey team and was very excited by her entry into the coveted team. Today was the beginning of her second week at hockey practice and she was already looking forward to going and meeting her new found friends and team mates. Sne's dad dropped her off to practice by car every morning like a dedicated father. Sne was the only team member who stayed on the east side of the suburb unlike her team mates who stayed in the west where the school was. Sne got into the car and drove off with her dad towards her school. They got there at 6.30 am sharp and luckily she wasn't late. She waved goodbye to her dad and walked towards the hockey field which was quite far from the main gate of the school, an all girls convent. At a distance she could already hear giggling and girly voices! Just as she was trying to figure out who had arrived she felt a pat on her back. It was Nats! Nats the team Goalkeeper or 'Goalie' was already part of the hockey team two years before Sne and according to Sne she was a very warm person - jovial and down to earth. Sne felt very comfortable around her as she could laugh out loud with her (something that she thought she could only do with her cousins or building friends!). "Wow men Sne you came on time n all today" Nats said in her good natured voice. "Ya re..my stupid cat woke me up haha!". "Good! Otherwise Saby Sir would have pakaoed u solid and made u run 5 extra rounds" Nats said. "I know..Thank God! rather Thank Cat" Sne attempted wry humour to which Nats was quick to respond "Shee men Sne don't crack such sad ones haa". Laughter followed this statement and Nats and Sne walked further towards the field, hockey sticks (branded ones!) in hand and a smile upon their lips, ready for a new day of hockey madness!!

Monday, April 26, 2010

A Quick Introduction!

This blog is about a wonderful team I was part of way back in school - My hockey team!
I always wanted to document fun anecdotes, crazy tournaments, teenage crushes, team politics, a plethora of characters and finally the solid friendships that were built across our years together - playing, gallavanting, laughing and even fighting! I will write this as a story...narrating it as if I were an outsider although I was part of these very stories...I dedicate this blog to each team member and our great coach (who will feature quite often through the course of this blog!)
Here goes!! (whistle blown by refree!!...game begins!!)