Used to play cricket then I switched to volleyball: Angamuthu

CHENNAI: It was not too long ago when a 6.7-foot volleyball powerhouse spiked the championship-winning point for the Ahmedabad Defenders team in the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) to get its maiden title.

With high hopes this year, Angamuthu Ramaswamy is poised to further elevate his team’s success in the upcoming PVL season, starting next month.

Like any average young Indian born in the 90s, Angamuthu’s initial career plan was to become a cricketer. Having played for school nationals and being serious about making a career out of it, he decided to switch paths and play volleyball when he was 19.

“I was playing a cricket tournament at SRM University, where a volleyball match was taking place near the ground. That’s when I met one of my seniors who said I have good height to play volleyball, and there are more career opportunities in the sport for me,” said Angamuthu while speaking to DT Next about the career transition.

Starting from scratch in a new sport at the age of 19 is a huge task to look forward to. But for Angamuthu, there were two strong pillars who supported him. It was his college senior and his brother who helped him find a pathway in his volleyball journey.

Fast-forward to a couple of years in volleyball, and he went through some of his most difficult times when he had a knee injury. ‘When I had the injury, I was blank because I didn’t know you could get injured playing volleyball. In cricket, I was familiar with these injury concerns. I started doubting my decision to pursue this as my career. But it was my father who helped me get through those tough times and guided me to think straight about my goals,” he said.

In the last 10 years, the way in which sports are viewed in the country has changed. This is not just in terms of changing the branding of a sport but also in terms of providing easier access for youngsters to get hands-on experience to showcase their talent. One such annual league is the Prime Volleyball League (PVL).

Divulging his thoughts on the growth of the league, he said, “This league has revolutionised the outlook of volleyball as a sport in India and has improved a lot in the last two years. It creates a platform for players who haven’t played in Nationals to interact with others who have experience playing in international and world championships. Talking money and business aside, this league is promoting volleyball at the grass-roots level for youngsters.”

After participating in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball Club World Championship (CWC) in Bangalore for the first time in December last year, the Ahmedabad Defenders team, despite its loss, will be filled with unwavering determination as they played against some of the world’s best volleyball clubs in the CWC tournament.

The third season of PVL is happening in Chennai for the first-time in February, and Angamuthu can’t wait to play in front of the ‘Tamil Fans’. “I’m so excited to play a full season here in Chennai. I was waiting for two years to hear this news. I know they support good volleyball; despite the clubs they love. Even in our team, there are a few Tamil players, so with the excitement, it is also a proud feeling for me,” he concluded.