Vibin M George's smashing end to a glittering career

KOZHIKODE: As a class 10 student, Vibin M George travelled from Thottumukkam to Kozhikode city to watch some of Kerala’s group matches of the 49th Senior National Volleyball Championship in 2001. Though he didn’t watch the finals of the championship, the Kerala team he saw in action back then went on to win the national title that year. Seventeen years later as Kozhikode hosted the national championship yet again, the tenth standard student had grown into one of the mainstays of Kerala team.
Playing his first nationals, 14th of his career, in front of his home crowd, Vibin had decided well before the tournament began that this will be his last in a Kerala jersey. And what better way to end his career than winning the national title for Kerala on the same turf which had sowed the seeds of a volleyballer in him. “It’s a surreal feeling. Not everyone get a chance to bow out on a high in front of his home crowd,” an elated Vibin said after winning his fourth national title for Kerala. The journey has been remarkable, feels Vibin. “Joining SAI centre, Kozhikode in 2002 changed everything. T Augustine sir was the coach in SAI and the training at SAI shaped my career,” says Vibin, who made it clear that he will continue to play for his club BPCL, Ernakulam.
Vibin’s rise was phenomenal. He never played for any junior Indian side but made his debut for the senior side in the 2007 Central Asian Volleyball Championship held in Islamabad. India won gold there and Vibin became a regular member of the Indian squad till 2011. A knee injury in the same year saw him being dropped from the side but he made it to the squad again in 2012. Vibin last played for India in the 2012 Asian Men’s Volleyball Cup in Vietnam. Despite being rejected by MEG Bangalore in 2004 after trials, Vibin joined BPCL in the same year. Playing alongside former Indian captain Tom Joseph, Kishor Kumar and R Rajeev helped him improvehis playing style, believes Vibin. “It has been a great experience playing in BPCL. They have no senior, junior hierarchy,” added Vibin.