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Still hungry for winning
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Age and a weak bunch did not stop an `old' side from slaying some of the giants of the country. STAN RAYAN tells the story of Customs men and their feats in the hottest district of Indian volleyball.
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The Kochi Customs team (Standing from left): Sunny Joseph, T. K. Sunil Kumar, K.E.Yusuf, Shijo Thomas, T. K. Sreesh, Jithesh Kumar, Vimal Kumar. (Sitting): Customs Assistant Commissioner and Sports In-charge Anto David and Commissioner G. V. Naik.
WATCHING THE players go through the motions, under grey skies, at the Sacred Heart College courts in Thevara, one gets the feeling that the Kochi Customs volleyball team is a struggling side.
With half the team above 30 and two above 35, it's probably a story of aching backs and leaden legs for many in the side.
Sunny Joseph, the team's senior most player and its libero, is a classic case. The 40-year-old has been playing the game for nearly two decades now. And when you see him clutching his back after a diving dig, you can hear his body complaining. It's showing signs of wear and tear. To add to the Customs' cup of woe, the team is without a coach.
But despite these `old' men, the Customs team has been producing some stunning results. It is now the champion club of Ernakulam, which is supposed to be the hottest and toughest volleyball district in the country. Customs also finished runner-up to Indian Navy in the last `Champions Trophy,' the State inter-club championship at Cherkalam, in Kasargod.
With some of the strongest teams in India, Ernakulam is now Kerala's volleyball country. The central district is home to National League runner-up Kochi Refineries Limited, the league's fourth-placed Indian Navy and former two-time Federation Cup champion Cochin Port Trust. And apart from Kochi Customs, the district is also the training base for the new Muthoot team, which is sure to make the forthcoming State inter-club championship a fiery affair this time.
With an embarrassing problem of plenty, Ernakulam could have a tough time selecting its district team for the next month's Kerala inter-district championship in Kannur. But, to simplify things, the teams have themselves come up with a solution.
"The Ernakulam team will basically be the Kochi Refineries team while Customs will be going as Malappuram. Cochin Port Trust will be representing Thrissur and Muthoot will be donning the Alappuzha colours,'' revealed Sunny Joseph, who also acts as the team's coach these days. The new order is sure to serve a ravishing treat for the volleyball buffs in Kannur.
Indian volleyball is going places these days. With the national side serving a royal treat in the recent majors, Kochi Customs team has begun moves to strengthen its team too, in keeping with the trends and times.
Customs jolted Kochi Refineries in a close semifinal of the district championship and the strong Indian Navy in the final. How did Customs manage to pull off the shocking upsets?
"We may be an old side but we have many players who are individually very good,'' said the Customs captain T. K. Sunil Kumar, offering just one dimension of the big story. True. For the Customs, M. V. Vimal Kumar was adjudged as the best all rounder at the district event, while T. K. Sreesh was picked as the best setter. Sreesh and Sunil Kumar are also the current national champions in beach volleyball.
But to be fair to Kochi Refineries and Indian Navy, it must be said that the heavyweights could be planning their season's performance in a phased manner, with the peak `act' coming on a bigger stage like the National League.
The wet weather could have also played a part in the surprise results at the recent district championship. "We had a big lead when the final was first played on October 5. But the match had to be abandoned owing to rain. The final was replayed ten days later, so the old rhythm was missing,'' said the Indian Navy coach Desh Raj.
But that does not take away the sparkle from the Customs' heady performance. For the stage and the rules were the same for the two teams. The Customs management now plans to bring in young blood, especially in the counter-attacking and centre-blocking departments to make its winning performance a consistent habit.
"We will be recruiting two or three players in the next few days, so that should be very good news for the team. Our boys have done well and need a lot of support and encouragement now,'' said Assistant Commissioner Anto David, the Customs' Sports In-charge.
"With just eight players, and with some of them a bit old, it's very tough for the team. Our last recruitment was four years ago. While a team like Navy has a strong bench strength, our team has the weakest bench. That puts our boys under added pressure. We're also planning to bring in a coach, at least for a short period. That should be a big help,'' said Mr. David, a former State badminton champion.
"The weak bench tells on our performance especially when we have to play matches two or three days at a stretch,'' said captain Sunil Kumar. But if the new moves fructify soon, it could be merry days, at a stretch, for the Customs men.
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