{"id":16296,"date":"2013-08-13T16:16:18","date_gmt":"2013-08-13T16:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/?p=16296"},"modified":"2013-08-13T16:16:18","modified_gmt":"2013-08-13T16:16:18","slug":"i-want-to-make-the-most-of-opportunity-dawson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/?p=16296","title":{"rendered":"I want to make the most of opportunity: Dawson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IKhujand: There\u2019s always a first time for everyone. With the Tea Session over, the Indian Senior National Team boys walked up to the Hotel Lobby and waited to leave for the first practice session in Khujand ahead of their International Friendly against Tajikistan. The ground was just a five-minute walk, that too within the Hotel Complex itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

For someone, however, it was supposed to be the first-ever \u2013 his first ever practice session with the Indian National Team.<\/p>\n

Some four hours later with the exhaust having dried down, Dawson Fernandes, all fresh after a shower and geared up for Dinner, smiles.Read More<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always a first time,\u201d he smiles again. \u201cI will always carry the memory with me,\u201d he smiles again. You smile too.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am the sole Player from Sporting Clube de Goa to be in the Indian squad in Khujand, that too in my first Tour with the National Team. So for you to strike an instant chord wasn\u2019t supposed to be that easy,\u201d the 23-year old Dawson continues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe irony stayed that the Seniors made me comfortable. Right from the time we assembled in New Delhi, never was I given cold vibes; and even in my first practice session. I felt at Home,\u201d he smiles again. And you smile too.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I want and need to make the most of the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dawson\u2019s journey began some 12 years back when he was 11 years old. He is 23 now. \u201cI started playing in inter-School Tournaments and joined Fransa\u2019s U-16 Team when I was 14. We won the Goa League that year,\u201d Dawson recollects.<\/p>\n

\u201cI shifted over to Salgaocar at the age of 15 and was drafted into the Senior squad when I was 17,\u201d he goes on. You listen.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I didn\u2019t get to play a match. Even when Salgaocar won the I-League (2010-11), I just watched and trained. Hence, I had to make a choice and Sporting Clube de Goa showed interest,\u201d you don\u2019t miss the waving of his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cTill then I was a rookie who had done well at age-group level. But Sporting gave me an opportunity and I am grateful to them. I seized it. That Season, I ended up with 6 goals from 11 matches. The next Season, I grew in confidence despite missing around 10 Matches due to an injury,\u201d Dawson pauses.<\/p>\n

You have an eye contact and you feel the pain of \u201cmissing 10 matches.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up idolising Climax Lawrence and Ronaldo,\u201d he informs. \u201cI mean the Real Ronaldo, the striker from Brasil,\u201d he stops you from saying anything more. \u201cBoth Climax and Anthony (Pereira) hail from my Village,\u201d he informs.<\/p>\n

You can never ignore the sociological aspects of the sport World over. Idols in your vicinity take you nearer to your dreams.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest challenge in Goan Football stays the recent trend of teenagers opting to move abroad,\u201d Dawson proclaims. You stay all ears.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the parents force their kids to purse studies abroad. In the process, many a good Footballer at the age-group level gives it up,\u201d he pronounces.<\/p>\n

Is it so?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happened to me as well,\u201d Dawson opens up. \u201cMy parents are settled in UK and stay there with my younger brother. They have been after me since long. And when I spent three years in Salgaocar without playing in a single match, they were after me,\u201d Dawson smiles again.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Football struck me more than anything else. So I didn\u2019t give up. I stay alone in Goa with my aunt,\u201d he says it in one breath.<\/p>\n

Next day morning, post Breakfast at the Core Exercise Session at the Hotel gym, you watch from a distance. At times, Dawson stays the leader of the pack; the next time, he follows others.<\/p>\n

Minutes later, Pradip Datta, the Fitness Trainer instructs. \u201cOne minute rest and then we move to the next exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even as all, eyes closed, recover, Dawson\u2019s ready for the next Exercise \u2013 the unmistakable rush of adrenalin.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne minute rest, all of you,\u201d Datta stresses. This time Dawson lies down. Forty seconds later, he\u2019s over it again \u2013 following instructions. The journey has just begun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Khujand: There\u2019s always a first time for everyone. With the Tea Session over, the Indian Senior National Team boys walked up to the Hotel Lobby and waited to leave for the first practice session in Khujand ahead of their International Friendly against Tajikistan. The ground was just a five-minute walk, that too within the Hotel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14170,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[431,10184,6293,10185],"class_list":["post-16296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football-football","tag-dawson-fernandes","tag-indian-senior-national-team-boys","tag-indian-sports-news-network","tag-khujand"],"yoast_head":"\nI want to make the most of opportunity: Dawson - IndianSportsNews.com - Latest Updated Sports News & Sports Blogs of Cricket, Hockey, Golf, Football, Tennis & Other Sports<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/?p=16296\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"I want to make the most of opportunity: Dawson - IndianSportsNews.com - Latest Updated Sports News & Sports Blogs of Cricket, Hockey, Golf, Football, Tennis & Other Sports\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Khujand: There\u2019s always a first time for everyone. With the Tea Session over, the Indian Senior National Team boys walked up to the Hotel Lobby and waited to leave for the first practice session in Khujand ahead of their International Friendly against Tajikistan. 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