ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਵਿੱਚ
ਦਰਸ਼ਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਬਣਿਆ ਪਹਿਲਾ ਸਿੱਖ ਬਾਸਕਟਬਾਲ ਖਿਡਾਰੀ ਜੋ ਕਿ
NCAA ਟੀਮ 'ਚ ਸਾਮਿਲ
ਹੋਇਆ
It was his first ever basketball game in high
school, and like any other freshman, Darsh Preet Singh was anxious and
excited to get the season underway. He looked to the sideline during
warm-ups and noticed his coach arguing with the referees and the coach
of the opposing team. Darsh walked over to see what was going on and
overheard the opposing coach shout: But he can’t play with that thing on
his head! Show me in writing where it says he can play!
Darsh’s coach—Greg Maxwell—walked over to the
bench, pulled out the small whiteboard on which he designed plays, and
furiously scribbled: “HE CAN PLAY.” Coach Maxwell continued lobbying for
Darsh’s right to wear a turban while playing until the opposing coach
and the game referees agreed. Darsh was allowed to play that game.
Starting February 26, the Smithsonian Institution will be displaying the
jersey of Singh, the first turbaned Sikh American to play basketball for
an NCAA program. He spoke with us about his remarkable journey,
including the challenges of traveling through the south and the
relationships he has forged with teammates and coaches.
The Smithsonian is honoring you for being the
first turbaned Sikh American to play NCAA basketball. Tell us what it
feels like to be recognized for this achievement.
Honestly, all of this is
still hard for me to believe. It still feels like a dream
sometimes. In some ways, I feel like I haven’t done anything
special. I just liked to play basketball and made the college
team. It’s not that different than so many of my friends I grew
up with.
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On the other hand, I
realize that I have overcome a number of challenges and that this is a huge
step for my community. From that perspective I feel really blessed to have
had such amazing opportunities and experiences, and I feel especially
grateful when young children thank me for providing inspiration and blazing
the trail. That’s really special to me.
What was it like growing
up and playing basketball in Texas?
Believe it or not, I don’t think I would be who I am today if it wasn’t for
my Texas upbringing. I grew up in San Antonio with three brothers, and we
are all huge Spurs fans. They had a real impact on us as kids, and we would
play basketball any chance we could. We played in gyms, rec leagues, pickup
games, school teams—whatever we could find. I hit an awkward growth spurt
when I got to high school, so all of a sudden I was one of the taller and
lankier kids in the school. Our team worked hard and won consistently, and
although I was the team captain, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to play in
college. I received admission to a great academic institution—Trinity
University—and I ended up walking on to the team. I began my freshman year
as a benchwarmer, at the bottom of the totem pole, and after three years of
dedication and hard work, I played my senior year as the team’s co-captain.
It was a really incredible experience.
Tell us more about playing at Trinity
University. How did people treat you when they saw your turban and beard?
Trinity is part of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, and we
played most of our games in small towns in the south. Many people in those
towns had never met a Sikh, and some people would shout hateful things at me
during games. I remember them yelling things like “Go back to your country!”
or “Cut your hair!” I wasn’t too affected by these comments because I’ve
been dealing with them since childhood. The amazing thing for me was
watching how quickly and passionately my teammates would jump to my defence.
There are so many stories that come to my mind from our time on the road
together. After a pre-game meal, two guys drove by in a truck and yelled
four-letter words and ethnic slurs at me. I just ignored them and kept
walking, but one of my most levelheaded teammates—Jay Riola—was so offended
on my behalf that he shouted back at those guys. I was really touched that
he cared enough to stand up for me.
Another time, some guys drove by us and shouted: “Go back to your country,
f*****. My teammate Andy did not appreciate the comment and chased after the
truck. These moments meant a lot to me because it showed me that my
teammates had my back. It really was like family, and these are still some
of the strongest relationships I have today.
That sounds incredible. Did you always have that kind of support around you?
Or was that a somewhat exceptional case?
I feel really fortunate that I have always had this support around me. My
parents are amazingly supportive, and my mom actually made it to every
single one of my games. My family and friends were always encouraging, and
my teammates never looked at me as being any different or any less. If
anything, my teammates have always given me additional respect when they get
to know me as a person and see firsthand how I deal with the various
challenges that come my way. I vividly remember how outraged my teammates
were when they found out I had to get a formal waiver from the NCAA that
allowed me to play college basketball. It really gave me a sense of comfort
knowing that they cared about me as a person and teammate and that they
wanted to have my back.
I was also really lucky to have a special coach at Trinity, Pat Cunningham,
who taught me what was important in life, not just basketball. I’ve learned
so much about work ethic, caring for others, working on teams, and
communicating effectively. I will always remember him as my favorite
professor in college. Most importantly, coach Cunningham helped me realize
that being able to play basketball was a real blessing and privilege in the
context of everything else that goes on in the world.
Source:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/chandigarh/turbaned-sikh-s-jersey-featured-in-smithsonian/article1-1189834.aspx
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ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤਹਿ॥
ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਨਿਊਜ਼ ਸਿਰਫ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਰਪਿਤ ਹੈ। ਅਸੀਂ ਅਖੌਤੀ ਦਸਮ
ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਅਨਮਤੀ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ, ਪੱਪੂ (ਅਖੌਤੀ ਜੱਥੇਦਾਰ), ਪਖੰਡੀ ਸਾਧ, ਸੰਤ, ਬਾਬੇ,
ਅਨਮਤੀ ਕਰਮਕਾਂਡਾਂ ਦੇ ਖਿਲਾਫ ਪ੍ਰਚਾਰ ਕਰਦੇ ਰਹੇ ਹਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਕਰਦੇ ਰਹਾਂਗੇ।
ਅਸੀਂ ਹਰ ਉਸ ਸਿੱਖ / ਸਿੱਖ ਜਥੇਬੰਦੀ ਦਾ ਸਾਥ ਦੇਵਾਂਗੇ, ਜਿਸਦਾ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਾ ਸਿਰਫ ਸ੍ਰੀ
ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ 'ਤੇ ਹੋਵੇ, ਸੱਚ ਬੋਲਣ ਅਤੇ ਸੱਚ 'ਤੇ ਪਹਿਰਾ ਦੇਣ ਦੀ ਹਿੰਮਤ
ਅਤੇ ਬਾਬਰ ਦੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਖਲੋ ਕੇ ਜਾਬਰ ਕਹਿਣ ਦੀ ਹਿੰਮਤ ਰੱਖਦਾ ਹੋਵੇ।
ਕਿਸੇ ਨੂੰ ਇਹ ਸਾਈਟ ਚੰਗੀ
ਨਹੀਂ ਲਗਦੀ, ਸੌਖਾ ਤਰੀਕਾ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਸਾਈਟ ਨੂੰ ਨਾ
ਦੇਖਿਆ ਕਰੋ,
Visit ਨਾ ਕਰਿਆ ਕਰੋ, ਅਸੀਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੂੰ ਸੱਦਾ
ਦੇਣ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾਂਦੇ। ਨਾ ਤਾਂ ਅਸੀਂ ਇਸ ਸਾਈਟ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਬਦਲਣਾ ਹੈ, ਨਾ ਹੀ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ
ਦਾ ਰਾਹ ਛਡਣਾ ਹੈ। |
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