EXCLUSIVE/ 'I was going through trauma': PR Sreejesh Recalls Tough Phase When He Almost Quit Hockey

PR Sreejesh, evergreen goalkeeper of Indian hockey team, has culminated his career on a high. Bronze medal match between India and Spain at Paris Olympics was Sreejesh's last dance in national outfit. It turned out to be a fairytale farewell for him as India won match and secured a Bronze medal at Paris Olympics.

Upon returning home, Sreejesh has been greeted with immense respect and his jersey number 16 will go down as hall of fame and has been retired by Hockey India. During one of celebratory ceremonies, Republic's special correspondent Rakshita Misra caught up with him and h an exclusive chat. Sreejesh dressed all queries and was quite expressive with his answers. 

Without any furr o, here are all excerpts from conversation.

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Has Feeling of Retirement Sunken Yet?

Not yet! I never thought about what would happen before, nor do I imagine what future holds. I just live in moment. Being around se players and teammates makes it feel like I'm not retired. However, I know it will hit me when I go back home and am away from se people.

On His Celebration and Persona

Gratitude! That’s one word I’ve learned from all books I’ve re. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me: my goalpost, my equipment, my teammates, Hockey India, entire crowd, fans, and all hockey lovers. It’s because of m that I am where I am today. I appreciate our rich culture and try to uphold it whenever I travel abro and see how ors preserve ir own cultures.

On His Role as a Goalkeeper

In unpredictable situations, things happen, and you have to play game. As a goalkeeper and senior-most player, it was my responsibility to le by example, which I did. Communication is crucial during tough times, and we handled it well. We defended as a team, and my job was to protect goalpost, which I did effectively. I drew on my experience from past 20-24 years.

As a potential Coach

I believe I’ll be a tough coach because I have strong ideas about coaching and what it takes for a player to become best. I alrey have a vision for team. Once we come toger, we’ll make plans for young generation and aim to perform better in upcoming tournaments, including World Cup.

On Most Challenging Phase in Career

I think it was in 2018, during Asian Games, where we lost in semifinals and n in World Cup quarterfinals. That was a tough period for me, I was going through lot of emotional trauma that time , and I considered retiring from hockey. However, after a break, I spent quality time with my family and spoke with many seniors who vised me that it wasn’t right time to quit. That break helped me bounce back, accept things, and see where I am now.

On His Legacy

I just want to be remembered as a kind and smiling person. In terms of hockey, I would love to hear players say y aspire to be next Sreejesh. That would mean I’ve inspired next generation.