Harry, as Harendra is known in hockey circles, arrived from Bengaluru to be part of Hockey India’s ceremony in honour of Sreejesh on Wednesday and shared a warm hug with the veteran Indian goalkeeper before joining the distinguished guests part of the ceremony.
Harendra, who is currently the chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team, was called upon stage to share his thoughts on Sreejesh’s 18-year career, which included four Olympic appearances and ended on a high of back-to-back bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris.
Going down memory lane, Harendra said, “From 2002 to 2009, except the SAF Games, this guy was working day and night; and he didn’t look back since then.”
Choked with emotions, Harendra took a pause before continuing and concluded with a piece of poetry he had penned in honour of Sreejesh.
Talking to Timesofindia.com later, Harendra, who has also coached the US men’s national team, explained what makes his association with Sreejesh since 2003 so special.
“My relation with Sreejesh is like two brothers, a mentor and a mentee, a friend,” said Harendra. “When I was mentoring him as a junior from 2003 to 2010, he came out as a very good listener, keen learner. During that period, I got to understand him in different situations and circumstances.”
Sreejesh went on to win two Asian Games gold medals and two Champions Trophy silver medals over the years before ending his career with two consecutive podium finishes at the Olympics.
“His speciality is determination and hunger. And the best part is he never wanted to prove, he always wanted to improve. There is a big difference in that,” said Harendra before explaining it further.
“Whenever he steps onto the pitch, he doesn’t carry the past in his head, remains in the present. It actually is a big asset for a goalkeeper if he can stay in the present. For example, if a goalkeeper concedes a goal and keeps thinking about that, then there are chances that he will concede another one.”
In 2016, when Harendra was the head coach of the junior Indian team that went on to win the World Cup in Lucknow, he brought Sreejesh in to mentor goalkeepers Vikas Dahiya and Krishan Pathak.
“He always wants to serve the nation, whether he is in the team or not. That’s one of the reasons I brought him on as a goalkeeping coach during the 2016 Junior World Cup,” said Harendra.
Now, after putting his goalkeeping kit down after an 18-year career, Sreejesh will step into his mentor Harendra’s shoes as he starts working in his new role as the coach of the junior Indian men’s team.
Meanwhile, Sreejesh’s iconic No. 16 jersey stands retired for the senior Indian team in his honour.
Source Agencies
