Pin-drop silence. Everyone’s gazes are fixed on the football at the foot of the striker. We’re holding our breaths for the next move he makes. I can’t bear to watch but I can’t bear to not look either.
It’s a penalty shootout; we have four goals, and judging by how the game has been neck-and-neck – they’re about to score their fourth as well.
It’s the semi-final. It’s a chance at revenge for economics, who were beaten last year by marketing in a similar penalty shootout. History really has a way of repeating itself. I’m too nervous for words. My phone rings: “Khelar ki obostha?” [How is the game going?] Abir asks. I tell him to hold on and pray. I’m covering my eyes, my fingers making a gap big enough for me to peek. I see the marketing player shooting.
This is it.
The greatest moments in life happen in a flash. Toukir, our goalkeeper, blocked the ball and a sea of blue jerseys ran to him. We reached the finals.
That was an unforgettable match. It was the semi-final of the inter-department football tournament of 2012 at Dhaka University. These university games are the only live matches I’ve ever been to and I’ve fallen in love with the magnificent spirit of it all. They’ve made me realise how important it is to have sports in a student’s life.
Although we’ve grown up writing essays about "kheladhular proyojoniota," team games aren’t given much priority in our education system. Parents discourage children from participating in sports as it might clash with studies, and the health aspects of sports are overlooked. Students growing up in cities are the worst victims.
Educational institutions should endorse team sports. This will allow timid students to open up and it’ll teach bullies compassion. Team games will help them discover themselves through interaction with others, and will teach unity. In troubling times like these when our country is divided – maybe it’s time to teach the next generation how to work as a team.
Some educational institutions promote team sports. Holy Cross College has mandatory sports drills and displays. Dhaka University hosts tournaments, which are eagerly awaited. Shuvo, a defender on the Economics football team once said: “I count days till the season starts. The team’s like a family.”
The most awaited inter-department football tournament of Dhaka University is starting again. I’m rooting for the economics football team- not only because I’m a student of economics, but also because they’re a team of champions.
A team’s success doesn’t only lie in winning trophies. The economics team are champions because they did something that I thought was magical. They brought crowds to the game. Having been there for all of the games; I saw how only a few people came to the games in the beginning and how the crowd started growing as each match went by.
Our gallery was jam-packed during the semi-final. But the immense popularity of our team wasn’t realised until the final. It was the midterm season and also raining. Yet the place was filled to capacity (and then some) with economics supporters and the chanting of "eco, eco!" was deafening. Even our some of our beloved teachers were there with former students. The Economics team brought everyone together. They lured people into the empty stands and kept the crowd on their feet till the last moment. That’s their greatest success. Any team that can fill up their galleries like that are a team worth supporting.
I’m glad I have a team to support. I hope that someday every child will get to be part of a team. I grew up playing "chowa-chuwi" and "l-o-n-d-London" in our front yard, but my younger siblings are missing out on that today. To them the television and internet are the only modes of entertainment, and it’s sad that we’ve led this generation to believe that. In times when the click of a button can make things happen, wouldn’t it be great if we could free today’s children from their cages just by pressing "play?"
