Pullela Gopichand - Shuttlers Flick: Making Every Match Count

SHUTTLERS FLICK

SHUTTLERS FLICK

MAKING EVERY MATCH COUNT

Pullela Gopichand

with

Priya Kumar

Foreword

CHIRAG SHETTY

Gopi Sirs mere presence sets an example of hard work, perseverance and good character. Whether it is on court or off court, his vibe of inspiration and calm is always evident. His commitment to the game when he was a player and now, to the games of the players he trains, is unshakeable and unwavering. Once he sets his target, he will do everything to get there, and get there he does.

The badminton players in India will always be indebted to the role he has played in bringing recognition to badminton with his exceptional career and now with the medals and international victories of the players he trains.

His disciplined lifestyle is a benchmark for the athletes. It did not end when he ended his career as a player. It has only grown stronger and deeper and can be seen today in his role as a coach. He is extremely systematic and logical in his thinking and actions, something that adds to the mindset of a champion. The way he sees the game playing out and works out strategies and game plans in advance has served many unbelievable and unexpected victories.

Without him having explicitly taught so, I have learned through his example to never be satisfied with ones success and rest on ones laurels, no matter how great the achievement may be. The hunger to do more and to be more should always drive you no matter how big you become. It is great to win the Olympics gold medal, but to win it again, you will have to be better than you were the last time you played and better than your competition who is also training to be better.

This book is about Gopi Sirs philosophy of life and about winning. It will serve you beyond the expectations you would have from a biography. It will provoke you to think different; to think about your life from the viewpoint of being a player in a game, whether you win or lose, the bigger game of your lifes purpose is not over. You are expected to show up the next day and outdo your past victory or defeat. Gopi Sir has been a coach to thousands of players; this is your chance to have him as a coach and mentor for your game and your life.

SRIKANTH KIDAMBI

Pullela Gopichand is one of the most down to earth people, especially in the league of champions. His accolades are legendary and yet his humility supersedes his celebrity persona. He has respect for everyoneelders, players, and coaches. You learn just by watching him. His personality and his character hold in them lessons that touch you because they are in action and you can see the impact.

If you read his story, you will be inspired in moments of your despair, where you wont need anyone to console and lift you up. Gopi Sirs journey through his times of turmoil and defeat will do that for you. You will be inspired and will know for sure that if he can overcome the life-threatening and career-damaging obstacles that came his way, you can surely set your life back on track. In getting to know him through his book you will see the anatomy of miracleshidden in hard work, commitment, self belief and giving nothing short of everything you have to make your dreams come true.

Gopi Sir helped me steer my career to where I am today. He encouraged me to focus on the singles game, and helped me make the transition from the juniors league to the seniors league, which can be a tough change for a player. He would train me every morning at 4 am, a regime he committed to for over five years. I owe my success to him. If he believes that something will help him grow and become better as a person and as a player, he will commit 100% of his effort to get there. Once there, he builds a training process around it so others can benefit too.

This book is not just for athletes and sports people, it is for everyone who desires to be a champion, who desires to stand out with their performance and win. His journey in sport is inspirational, and everyone can relate to it even if they are not athletes. Knowing him, knowing what he went through and the mindset, strategies and principles that he employed in achieving success, you will find answers to your own struggles and self-imposed miseries. He is truly an inspiration. In his company I always feelas I know you will too after reading his bookthat my success and my future are secure.

A note from the author

Im a person who will find meaning, positivity and hope in any situation, however grave it may be. I am an optimist and a die-hard one at that. No matter how tough the situation, I know that there is a way out and that I can find it. While everyone may see the end of the world, I can see the start of a brand-new era. But, I must also mention that its easier said than done. The true test of your optimism and strength comes when you stand in a position where everything you have worked for threatens to come to an end while you are still halfway to your lifes goals.

It takes a lifetime of unwavering dedication and unbelievable hard work to build a legacy like Pullela Gopichands. It takes one single instant to change everything. One minute you are in peak form, playing a winning game at the Pune National Games and the next minute you are preparing for surgery, rebuilding your body and your future.

To a sportsperson, injury is a way of life. Those who fear pain do not qualify to be sportspersons. Every athlete is prone to sustain potentially career-ending injuries. But, its not that actual moment of injury that I am talking about. It is the moment after the injury when you are brought down by a force beyond your control, bringing your hard work, your preparation and your dreams to their knees. It is at that moment when your instinctive reaction determines everything else that is about to happen. That is the moment I am interested in deciphering through the work and philosophy of Pullela Gopichand.

It was 25th January 1995, at the Pune National Games. Playing doubles, Gopichand and his partner, Vijay Raghavan, were at the third and final game. If they won this game, they would win the match and enter the finals. That was the plan. That was the intention. That was what their countless hours of practice were aimed atvictory. Gopi jumped for the overhead smash. The shuttle came shooting back from the opponent, in the left court. Since Gopi was near the net, he leaped out to get the shot. Running backwards, he did not see Vijay who was also going for the same shot and they collided. Gopi fell first and Vijay fell on top of his left knee, crushing it.

The audience saw the fall, but neither them nor Gopi knew the extent of the injury in that moment. The body has a strange reaction to trauma. It goes numb. It tries to block the impact of the damage in that instant. It is only moments and sometimes minutes later that the excruciating pain and unconsciousness seeps in.

Seconds after the fall, still not feeling the brunt of the damage, it was up to Gopi to decide his next move. He saw that his leg was twisted at an awkward angle. He tried to get up twice and fell down.