My Name is Jasmani Tiru. I am from the Pelol village of Khunti, which is 50 km form Ranchi.
I started playing Hockey watching both my brothers play. Soon with the bamboo stick made by my brothers I was dribbling the ball. In the school, in my third grade the school teacher Mr. Dashrath Mahto started coaching me after the class with the other students. Every day, he used to coach me and other students after the school for nearly one-hour. With the continuance guidance from him and playing with my friends my game improved.
One day our coach took us to the selection trial for the Briyatu Hockey Centre in 1993 and I got selected. I was very happy because, I was joining one of the best hockey coaching centre for the girls in this region. I practiced hard and as a result next year I was in the centre’s team and playing sub junior Nationals. I went to different places in India to play tournaments and see good hockey players play the game. I started dreaming of getting into the Indian team and then getting a good government job from the sports quota. I practiced hard and sincerely followed the guidelines of the coaches.
On one occasion in 1999 our team went to play a national tournament at Tirupati. There the coach of Indian Junior team was selecting players. I was very hopeful that I will make it to the Indian junior team, as in that tournament I was playing good and our team was in the final. To my disappointed, my name was not there but, two of my friends were selected that made me even sadder. This was the best chance I had.
Later in the year I was offered a Job in the Indian Railways as a player but, to my bad luck I did not get my approval on time from the Hockey federation. I was depressed and mad at the federation for not giving me on time approval. In the frustration I burnt all my Hockey certificate. After completing my intermediate from the centre, I went back to my village, and completed my college.
Gradually I stopped playing hockey as chance of getting a job through hockey become difficult. In April 2016, when heard that CInI Tata trusts are looking for former player for a program to teach kids from the school Hockey. I gave my name, as I was not doing much at that time. When I received trainings from the Dutch Coaches as how to teach the kids Hockey and learning new things of Hockey. This increased my curiosity in the Hockey training. Gradually I felt happy training the children in Hockey. My bitterness of the past is replaced with the passion to teach hockey. Now I want to use my experience and knowledge to make the kids better players. Further, to see these kids playing for India which I once dreamt off.
