In Conversation with Guru Prasanth: Mr Dependable in Hyderabad Blackhawks

Hyderabad Blackhawks has one Mr Dependable player in Guru Prasanth who has a knack for reversing losing matches. He is one such player who brushes off pressure while playing volleyball on the court. Prasanth knows how to take things in his stride and bounce back when the match starts slipping from his hand. 

Mohammed Rayees ur Rahim of Sakshi Post caught up with Guru Prasanth to know how things are shaping up for him after playing for Hyderabad Blackhawks in the Prime Volleyball League matches and much more.

1:- You have played for Hyderabad Blackhawks earlier, could you share your learning from the lead?

A: - That was the first season for me with the Hyderabad Blackhawks. Even though I'm a younger player, the management and the coach and everyone gave me a chance to play in this amazing team. So I'm very grateful for this opportunity they provided me and it was a very good feeling for me to play for the Hyderabad team in Hyderabad itself. It was actually homegrown for me last season. So it was an awesome feeling for me.

2:- what was it like getting coached by Ruben Wolochin from Argentina? How was that experience?

It was so technical, and it was so new for me. Like, we won't use that much of analytics and stuff in the Indian system. But he was so technical about volleyball. It was not only going and smashing, but making every point count. He has so much volleyball knowledge. He's from a foreign country, and has so much of foreign exposure. So he was so technical. He has so much volleyball knowledge. So it was very new for us. And I have learned so much of small, little things which could make a big difference in volleyball. I learned a lot from Ruben.

3:- You have played alongside Luis Antonio Aria from Venezuela and Henry Bell. Do you get any guidance from them?

A: - Yeah, those two players, Luis Antonio is an Olympian and Henry Bell is someone who played with the Cuban national team in the World Championships. They gave me so many inputs, and mainly they told me to enjoy the game while playing what it was one of the games which allowed the most and they told me to play happy and play my heart out, so they told me to insure it. So that's something I learned from them.

4:- Okay, and could you walk us through your transformation from A blocker to a universal?

A: - That I can. I was a blocker when I was studying in my school. But after joining my college in SRM University, Dakshna Murthy, who is now coaching Ahmedabad defenders, helped me transform from blocker to universal. He told me that the opposite position suits me the best. Even though blocker is a good position, I don't have that much height to be a blocker. So he converted me from my blocker to universal and whatever I hold here today is everything only because of him. 

5:- Do you think the prime volleyball needs have influenced the people to take up the volleyball game?

A: - Sure it does. To say, before prime volleyball, there were like 1500. Now it's around 10k. All the volleyball players in this country are getting so much exposure. We are getting recognized in public and even in the corners of India, like villages, suburban everywhere, where people have some knowledge of volleyball or watching and recognizing all the volleyball players. So it's something close to my heart. I can say. The prime volleyball thing is making the volleyball players and the volleyball team grow up.

6:- You have won the emerging player of the season. How do you plan to improve your success rate?

A: - To be frank, I don't have long term goals or dreams. Those are uncontrollable things for me. For me, I like to work on my things which are controllable, like practicing, playing, and I'm going to concentrate on those steps instead of thinking about the accolades or whatever. But if you ask me, something better than the emerging play season this year, I'm trying for that. But for now, I'm going to be as supportive as my team and I'm going to do those things which are controllable by me like practicing and all that stuff.