FROM his younger years growing up in Nabilo, Tailevu, Nickel Nishal Chand only wished to be a soccer player like his dad — former Tailevu footballer Satish Chand.
Later, he idolised his cousin — former Suva footballer Cedrick Dutt — and worked his way into the team.
He succeeded.
So from those days of playing soccer in the fields with ball made out of paper bound with cellotape, and his progression in soccer at secondary and national level, now he is focused on Rio.
He has also acknowledged the task at hand this time was different and special.
The 20-year-old left-midfielder, though shy, eloquently explained why this trip to Rio meant a lot to him.
“I grew up on a dairy farm with my family and I would help them in the mornings before I go to school and in the afternoons when I return home. I will be milking cows and taking them to graze so I always remember this beginning,” Chand told this newspaper in an interview at the Fiji soccer camp in Namosau, Ba, last week.
And acknowledging his parents’ support all throughout his soccer-playing years, he said he would not have gone far had it not been for them.
“They are there for me anytime whenever I need them. They always watch my games.
“As for my dad, on days that I am playing soccer, he will excuse me from farm work and these are the small things they have done that have contributed so much to bringing me to where I am today.”
And for him, he owed it to them to always reciprocate these gestures by playing his best every time he is out on the soccer pitch.
He proved this by first being selected for the U20 football team to the World Cup after switching schools from Tailevu North College to Saraswati College in Nausori.
“I felt lucky when I wore that national jersey for the first time at the World Cup because there were better players than me but they did not make it.
“So it was the happiest moment for me knowing I was playing for my country and I had to give it my best.”
Today, he is on a bigger mission — to play his heart out at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games next month.
He is adamant to keep enhancing his fitness, particularly with endurance, saying they were not playing in a local game in Rio and all players must commit to playing their best.
“I vow to play my best with what I know, and listening to the coach with whatever he says.
“And most importantly, we have to be disciplined and humble to be able to get there.
“Besides, the whole world will be watching us in Rio so I’m hoping to secure a professional contract.
“And to do that, I am challenging myself to do my best so someone can spot me.”
Chand said the journey had been tough but not impossible with God on their side.
He listed family, time and discipline as the three top most important things in his life.
“These three things are important to me because they help a lot in life.
“Family is the most important thing, they will always support you.
“Time is everything. You will always have to be on time.
“And discipline, some people lack this and then they slacken down so discipline keeps us in order.”
Chand misses his family but says this is the sacrifice he is willing to make to go make the country proud in Rio.
“Now, for us, it’s really important to have self-confidence because it will help us in the game.
“It is the same in real life, we have to be confident because we can achieve anything.”
