We gained a lot of confidence after winning against Kochi – Hyderabad Black Hawks’ Rohit Kumar

Hyderabad Black Hawks Rohit Kumar said the team gained a lot of confidence after winning the season opener against Kochi Blue Spikers.

Kumar said his side will look to continue the winning impetus and they will look to win their next match against Ahmedabad Defenders.

On the other hand, Ahmedabad Defenders have also made a great start to their season as they have won both their matches. The Defenders bested Chennai Blitz in their opening game while they defeated Calicut Heroes on Wednesday.

“After winning our first match against the Kochi Blue Spikers, we have gained a lot of confidence. We were quite happy to start with a win and we have been preparing well for our next match against Ahmedabad Defenders. We will definitely give our 100 percent and try to win our next game as well.”

Rohit Kumar also revealed how he took up the sport. He noticed some athletes playing volleyball in his village and started enjoying the sport from there before taking it professionally.

“I was motivated to start playing volleyball after watching a few athletes play the game in my village. I started playing the game in my school. After completing my 10th standard, I went for SAI Kurukshetra trials. After getting selected, I started practicing at SAI and thereafter moved through the ranks.”

The 25-year old attacker has also suffered quite a few injuries in his career but he revealed he aims to stay positive. Kumar said that he has always received the support of his family throughout his career despite the adversities.

“There’s always a concern about injuries. After incurring an injury, there’s always pressure about how and by when we can recover. My family lives in a village in Karnal district, Haryana and my father is a farmer. It was difficult to acquire expensive shoes and playing kits sometimes. But my family has always supported me throughout my volleyball career.”

He added: “Whenever I needed something, I used to ask my elder brother and he used to speak to my father and give me whatever I needed. My elder brother has supported me a lot. He also used to play volleyball at one point, but now he runs his own business.”