Although i have never played hockey after 1973, when i was 18 years old, yet i always feel a desire to play hockey again. I did play cricket a bit, but my first priority remained hockey. Unfortunately none of my children have got much idea of what hockey is, since we do not have hockey here in this part of the world (North Cyprus). Sometimes i think that i must do something here to introduce the game of hockey here, but i do not find myself confident and competent enough to do some breakthrough.
Luckily mine is a sports loving family. Over years i have developed habit of jogging for long distances (around 40km per week). My wife did venture in local long distance races, and has got a medal for being second in a 5km race. She became a national badminton referee and volunteered as referee in athletics also. My eldest son is a second don black belt in kickboxing. My other son is fond of playing basketball. My young daughter used to be the national junior champion of badminton. Later on she became more serious about basketball, and is now playing at the school level. Lately she has been selected in the national team. (Unfortunately, my present country is not a recognised country, so the only country where our national team can go is Turkey). even then being a member of a national team is an honor of distinct.
Since late 1970s when i entered into the field of journalism, as a free lance journalist, hockey remained the centre of my interest. Since, for over 11 years in that field i wrote hundreds of articles about Pakistan hockey, a s a regular feature writer for DAILY NEWS and The MAG and quite a few magazines of that time.
I remember, way back during 1980s, a hockey loving son of my distant relative, approached me to introduce a tall very young boy, who had just started his hockey carrier as a goalkeeper in some local hockey club. I decided to write an article about him. The other morning, quite early in the morning, (because i did have to go to office at around 8am), i went to his house in Paposh Nagar (Nazimabad) and together with his goalkeeping gear and hockey we went to the nearby hockey ground. I spoke to him at length He wore his goalkeeping pads and guards, took his hockey in his hand and wore a cap. He was all ready to be photographed. His inner emotions were more than evident from the expressions on his face. For the first time, that young boy was being interviewed. With my Yashica camera ready, i was all ready to take his snaps. With my every yes, he gave a different pose in front of the goal. Clearing the ball, diving right or left, hitting the ball with his boot. With my deep interest in hockey, i took quite too many photos of him. That particular interview was published in the Youth Page of The DAWN. The editor of the page decided to publish his one photo , standing in front of the goal.
I had almost forgotten that boy, but quite some years, after being totally out of touch from Pakistan hockey for years, i found out that a young goalkeeper (Ahmed Alam) had risen to be the captain of the Pakistan National hockey team. Unfortunately, i failed to recall the full name of the boy whom i had interviewed. What i could recall as his name was Alam. Is Ahmed Alam the same boy who represented Pakistan in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics, and rose to be the captain of the team.
Is he the same young boy whom i had interviewed way back in early 1980s, and that was his first introduction in the press. I am not sure.
AHMED ALAM
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/al/ahmed-alam-1.html
you are king maker :P
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