Tribute to my dad

I am shattered since my father unexpectedly passed away two weeks ago. I will never forget this in my life. It happened in such a way that I planned my tenth anniversary trip to Hawaii. There was lot of obstacles like flight cancellation, interisland flight bankrupt. Friends said I was lucky that I could still make the trip. Me, my wife and Ishwar landed at Maui, picked up the car and checked in the hotel. Few minutes after entering the room, got a call that my dad was collapsed. It was very hard to believe. I have heard people say it's never easy to lose a parent. And they're right; it's not. My dad wasn't sick or diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. He was a healthy 65-year-old whose death was purely accidental. My friends call him Jackie Chan. He was so active.

He told his friend to be healthy like him an hour before he was collapsed. Although I'm 38, I sometimes still feel like a kid. Luckily I had the huge support of my family, and friends. And my dearest and closest friends stepped up and volunteered to get us to the funeral after a 30 hour long flight. I can't express how grateful I am. Very tough travel esp. when there was no OCI, no interisland flight, no drop off and so on.




I've been getting through this hard time by remembering the good times. Great memories of my dad and the life we shared with him. He was more of my friend than my father. If I had to share just one thing I learned from Dad, it is his positive attitude. My dad wanted the best in life. And he went all out to enjoy every day of it. A few others I should definitely share.

We are five brothers inherited gem of qualities from my dad. He was cool with inter-religion wedding. He won’t get disheartened when someone abuses but did get elated so much when some one praises. He never showed hatred against anyone. He took care of us more than a staff nurse when we get sick. He treated our wives as his own daughters. He forced us to learn foreign language when others in his cadre thought it would be expensive. Taught us how to take care of our wives and often quotes ‘naan kaanum ulahangal aval kaana vendum’. His likes ‘thannilai thaazhaamaiyum annilai thazhndhakkaal uyir vaazhaamaiyum maanam enappadum’.
My son cried and said he would like to reverse time to make a trip to India to save his grandpa.

I told my wife that she will never forget this anniversary trip thinking of Maui. I told my VP we always go to India for vacation and this would be the first time we are trying different. Apparently it turned out that I had to go to his funeral. Fate is something that you cannot fight with. But it could have taken five years from all his son to extend him another 25 years. He lives with us in our sprit.

Raja you are a wave
Appeared as a tide to save
Lead us to be brave
How can wave go grave

You are a storm
Took care of mom
Can’t be a dome
Come back home

You are the man
We are your fan
Always you ran
How could we mourn?

Man with the pride
Had on our side
Took us all for a ride
Can’t hear you died

Engal aaviyir kalandha anbu deivam Thiru Rajasekaran.

Me as AYSO Soccer coach

Who would have believed this stuff would work this well. I am coaching under 9 boys. I learned nothing about teaching formations or positions, let alone any actual plays. They had the kids doing figure 8's around cones. The kids hated it and it was hard to teach. The kids weren't learning.
The kids can't get enough of it. Neither can I. It is a lot more fun playing and coaching when the team wins. The kids do not want to come off the field when I sub them.
This is what I have used that has been very helpful. Fight for the ball. My kids were stealing the ball.
I am playing the kids in the position I feel will help most. It was very helpful to learn how to assign positions. We play "Dribble Across A Square Game" to start each practice. The kids love it. Then we move on to "Dribble Around Cone and Back Relay Race", followed by the "Dribble, Turn and Shoot Race", first team to 10 goals wins. The kids love the competition.
We have played "Pass to Space, Run With Ball and Shoot" game. This teaches two important things. Pass to space, not players feet, and run with the ball, don't stop it. I make this a relay race also, they love it.
Even though it may be a bit advanced, I have played "3 Man Direct, Wing Attacking Game". This teaches the players to go to the goal, and to center the ball. Great.
The "Corner Kick Simulation" game is very good. I had them play until the attackers scored, or the defenders cleared the ball to the side.
I have shied away from "2 Team Keep Away" because last year I tried a version of it and all I had was a big pile of kids kicking at the ball. I will try again.
I plan to try "Kick Balls Onto Other Field" and "Pass It Through Game".
I have one question. All the kids want to play Forward now, since we are scoring so much, and the fullbacks don't get very much action. I am rotating each kid in to forward. Any thing I can tell the kids besides "It is a team effort"? They all want the glory.
It is great to have confidence in my team.

Sweet memories