Local League: TN coach disappointed the boys finished third

“The boys are happy that they finished third, but I am slightly disappointed as a coach that we were unable to come first,” said Krishnamoorthi, whose team was felicitated by the Tamil Nadu Volleyball Association on Thursday.

“We make sure that we never come back empty-handed. I am happy with the way the boys played. We found it slightly difficult to get accustomed to the climate there,” he added. 

Commenting on the process to choose the squad members, the coach remarked, “A lot of hard work went behind the scene in selecting the squad. We selected the best players from an inter-district tournament which featured 32 teams. The TNVA then held a 10-day preparatory camp for the squad members.” 

Asked if it was easy to pass on the instructions to his wards, he said, “This is just the first stage of their careers. It takes time to convey the message to them as they all are only 14. We will have to toil a little harder and the process takes more time when compared to other age categories.”  

Speaking about the standout players from the 12-man squad, he added, “Captain Dinesh Kumar, Vikram and Prem played really well. A few of the boys got sick during the course of the event. That was one of the key reasons why we couldn’t clinch gold.” 

Krishnamoorthi also lavished praise on the association for its continued support. “The TNVA played a key role in helping us win two medals. They provided us good facilities during our preparation and kept enquiring us about our stay in the north-eastern state.”  

The Tamil Nadu boys team came up trumps against Bihar in the third-place match, defeating it in straight sets. Asked if there was any pressure during the play-off game, he said, “We always stay motivated and try to play without pressure. The audience supported us a lot and they were impressed with the performance of our boys.”