By NANDAKUMAR MARAR
Darryl D’Souza is of the firm opinion that playing the Olympic Games changed him from inside. The men’s hockey forward, a member of the Indian team at the 1992 Barcelona Games, does not believe in flaunting his stripes. “Representing my nation at the Olympic Games is a privilege. Every hockey player dreams about it, a few get there. Having done that, I do not go about telling people that I am an Olympian. If people I meet don’t know about the fact, I am okay with it,” said the ex-international. “I changed from inside as a person after the Olympics, for me that is more important.”
Darryl is employed by Air India in a managerial position and has been flying regularly, the latest being a Mumbai-Dubai-Mumbai flight as a member of the cabin crew. “Sports demands a player to be hard-working and remain humble. I feel this applies to life also. Hockey is a team event where each one is responsible for his/her action and no one else should be doing your job,” he said.
“After retiring, I used these lessons as coach of Air India and even now at work (cabin crew). I work hard to maintain fitness for the role assigned. Hockey taught me to carry people along. After all, everyone is different and may not be as capable.”
Wearing the national colours is about dealing with pressure and learning to handle it. “As a member of the Indian team, we felt the pressure the moment we stepped into the Olympic Village, felt it all the time. Coping with it is a part of our learning. It meant remaining focused and staying away from the thrilling sporting action at other venues.
1992 Olympic camp, National Stadium, New Delhi. Darryl stands third from right
“The USA Dream Team from the NBA played at Barcelona and we watched the matches involving the biggest names in basketball on television in our rooms,” said the forward who was part of the silver winning men’s team at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.
Darryl added:” The nation is spending to send you to perform. That is priority, not sight-seeing or collecting mementos. Touring the world and seeing new places should happen before the Games, I feel, so the focus remains on your sport.”
India finished seventh at Barcelona. “We were expected to be among the medalists, so of course we felt disappointed. On returning, I also felt the change from inside and am carrying that through life.”