Being unpicked in Season 1 auction spurred me to improve: Volleyball star Shameemudheen
In an exclusive interview with UNI, Shameemudheen explained how the disappointment of being unpicked ignited a fire in him.
"I was disappointed. However, in mid season I got an opportunity to play as a replacement player and was part of the winning team. And because there was that disappointment, I ensured that in the subsequent seasons I did not go unsold.
'I put on more efforts in my training and practice," said Shameemudheen, who represents the Indian Air Force.
Shameemudheen, who plays as a middle blocker, was brought in as an injury replacement for the Kolkata Thunderbolts mid-season, and played a key role in helping the franchise win the trophy during Season 1.
He was subsequently picked by Mumbai Meteors where he played Season 2 and 3. This year he was acquired by Calicut Heroes for Rs 22.5 lakhs during the Season 4 auction in June. This was the joint highest bid which he shared with Jerome Viniit and Vinit Chaudhary.
He said that due to the PVL, Indian volleyball players have started getting offers from foreign leagues.
"Since the PVL started, there has been a lot of interest in Indian players from foreign leagues. I have got offers from the UAE and Maldives. But for me playing for the Indian Air force is a priority. Chirag (Yadav) is playing in the Maldives, John Joseph is playing in the UAE. They were noticed through the PVL," he said.
The Mallapuram native, who hopes to be a part of India' s Asian Games Volleyball team next year, said the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) has taken the popularity of the sport to a different level in Kerala.
"Volleyball was popular in Kerala, but once the league came it was widely followed on TV. Fan groups have further accentuated the growth of the game in the state. For example, Chembada, the fan group of Calicut Heroes, is very active locally," he said.
Speaking about his personal journey in volleyball, Shameemudheen said he was initially into football, and then forayed into volleyball, courtesy a chance incident.
"I used to play football in my village. Once while playing in my village, there was a volleyball match on nearby. As it happened, they were short of two people. So two of us tall guys were roped in to the volleyball match. That is how I started. This was when I was in Class 11-12," he recalled.
After his schooling in Mallapuram, Shameemudheen went to college in Kochi, where he was picked for the Volleyball team. He went on to play many local tournaments and eventually got selected for the Indian Air force (IAF) Team.
He named some of the players to watch out for during the Season 4 of the Prime Volleyball league.
"Jerome Viniit, Vinit Chaudhary are always dangerous players who have performed well through the years, and among the youngsters Muhammad Jasim and Jasjot Singh are likely to do well in the upcoming league." said Shameemudheen.
Season 4 of the Prime Volleyball League will start on October 2, 2025. The venue is yet to be decided. UNI RKM RN SSP
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