KOLKATA: Mahima Tete took up hockey at a very young age like most do in Simdega, Jharkhand. To everyone’s surprise though she left the game in 2012 at nine years of age.
“I didn’t feel like playing and I wanted to study, so I stopped playing,” said Mahima, who got her first call-up to represent India at a continental competition — the Junior Asia Cup — on Wednesday, during a telephonic interaction with TOI on Friday.
But neither her Olympian sister Salima, nor their parents, wanted her to stop and they persuaded her to take up the game once more. “They kept telling me to keep playing because I will be able to achieve a lot of things. As it is, my father always wanted me to play. As for Salima, she told me if you want to play, just play for yourself,” she said.
The persuasion worked and a year later she was back on the turf and now she hopes to do everything that her elder sister has done on the hockey field.
“I am very proud that my sister is an international player and I want to follow in her footsteps and achieve all that she has achieved. I want to move ahead like her and win as many medals as she has won,” added the girl from Jharkhand.
To do that she will have to put in a lot of effort but for now her immediate focus is on doing well for the Indian team in the Junior Asia Cup that is scheduled to take place from June 2-11 in Kakamigahara, Japan.
“I had toured Ireland with the U-23 team last year and also went to South Africa but this will be my first international tournament and I’m more than excited. I will be giving my 100% for the team,” said the youngster.
While working with senior women’s team coach Janneke Schopman has been hugely beneficial for Mahima, it’s the chance to train with the seniors and her elder sister that gives her a lot of enjoyment. And Salima also makes good use of the opportunity to help her out as much as possible.
“She keeps telling me to do this, do that and reminds me to not make certain mistakes. She motivates me, always tells me to work hard and pushes me to do better,” said Mahima.
If she keeps doing it right, a day might come when the two sisters will be taking the field together in national colour. It hasn’t happened yet for the Indian women’s team and will be quite a special moment.
