Mansoon -Bare foot Football

It was 1988 monsoon and Konkan rains are quite heavy. Although Dombivli is not in Konkan region but the rains are more or less similar. In Gokhale wadi we were always had novel ways to beat the vagaries of nature.



Gokhale wadi would be flooded in monsoon and there was hardly any scope for playing in that swampy ground. We would always look out for weekends for a game of football. The only place to think of playing football was DNC playground at Nandivli which was walkable distance for us all.

Our football preparation was bare minimal. And our hero was Maradona of Argentina and ofcourse we loved the Brazillian Samba. Our senior could manage to purchase a football out of their own contribution. Being junior we also contributed. I remember of not paying more than 3 rupees to Nanda.


Being from lower middle class family we never had the privilege of Sports shoes or the sports shorts. We were happy that we at least had football of our own. At ground we used to put 2 bricks at a specified distance and that would be our goal post. Barefoot with cotton shorts on we aimed at the opposite goal post. The rains would make the game more lively and dribbling through small puddles would always remain challenge. Atul sarnaik(balu) was a boxer but liked playing football. He had the habit of approaching the ball menacingly. That act would unnerve any amateur like me. Dileep(vaji) and Milind Limaye urf Rafi were the best among us.

Not to mention the outsiders like Prakash(pakya) , Nagendra( nagya) who had solid control over the ball. Nagendra now hold a high position of Company Secretary in a Private firm in Bangalore.

Most injury marks on my knee and below can be attributed to football. I remember having played football even after having a toe injury. I had used a polythene bag and tied it with rubber band such was the passion. And no amount of enjoyment would describe one would feel while running on wet grass and one would naturally except one to slip and fall on one's back.

By playing football we Gokhale wadi buddies had learnt on agility, speed,control and team work all rolled into one while playing this game. Little did I wonder that the same things are being taught in premier Management education programs. That all I learnt while playing football barefoot.