al in Seattle, a similar -- albeit larger -- event

Ahead of Indias final against Belgium at the junior hockey World Cup in Lucknow on Sunday, ESPN introduces three players who seem to have done enough during the tournament to merit consideration for selection to the senior team. Across defence, midfield and attack, Varun Kumar, Santa Singh and Armaan Qureshi have formed the spine of the team. They spoke to us before the tournament and here is their journey in their own words.First influencesThere was nobody in my family who played hockey, but [India international and captain at the 2013 junior World Cup] Manpreet Singh and I are schoolmates. He began playing hockey before me and suggested I take up the sport. So, inspired by Manpreet, I began playing in Mithapur, my village. - VarunI started playing hockey because of the atmosphere in my village. [Indian midfielder] Sardar Singh also hails from there. One of my uncles was a very good hockey player and his son used to play hockey. He would often visit us, and one day I accompanied him to the ground and decided to start playing hockey. Ive always followed Sardar, and thats the reason I play in midfield. - SantaMy uncle Hasrat played for India, and he became my inspiration to start playing hockey. There used to be hockey camps in our school during summer vacations. Thats where I started playing for the first time. I also played cricket and pursued it quite seriously for a while. Then one day, they laid a new AstroTurf pitch in Gwalior, where I live. After that I started playing hockey quite seriously. - ArmaanBest coaching adviceWhen I started playing hockey, [former India captain] Pargat Singh gave me a lot of motivation. He would come to the ground and tell us about how to practise, what to eat. Whatever he learnt playing for India, he would pass on to the rest of us. - VarunThe coach at my hostel [former India international and Sardar Singhs older brother Didar Singh] used to support me a lot. He always told me that in modern hockey you must always look up while playing. Training under Harendra Singh [head coach of the junior team] has also been good, because he varies it up all the time. This prevents it from getting monotonous. - SantaI went to the Madhya Pradesh Academy in 2007, and my coach there was [former Olympian and Dhyan Chands son] Ashok Kumar. Then in 2013, I joined Air India, and my coach there was [former India captain] Dhanraj Pillay. Ive been fortunate with the coaching Ive had all these years. The one thing theyve all taught me is that you cannot give up. If you arent able to do something perfectly, then you must keep working at it till you achieve it. - ArmaanKey to success in hockeyThe most important attribute for a good defender is to have patience. You must know how to defend against an opposition forward and how to finish their moves. These qualities define a good defender. - VarunIt is tough to play against the Europeans. They tend to play with a lot of physicality. But our team now is very good. We tend to play with good fitness levels. Weve worked very hard on all major points. - SantaThere are parallels between football and hockey, especially in attacking patterns. The one-to-one passes and the attacks from the outside are more or less the same. I like [Lionel] Messi because of how he plays and the confidence with which he plays. On our first two tours, I wore jersey No. 29, but then when it was announced that everybody could put forward their favoured numbers, I went for No. 10. Hes not a player... hes a magician. - ArmaanUltimate goal in hockeyMy biggest ambition in life is to always give my best when playing and to play at the Olympics one day. - VarunThe junior World Cup is the main target for our entire group. Only after this can we think about what we want to achieve in life. The way that weve been performing at the junior level for the last couple of years, nothing less than gold will do. - ArmaanMax Pacioretty Golden Knights Jersey . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Reilly Smith Golden Knights Jersey . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authentic-ryan-reaves-golden-knights-jersey/ . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Cody Eakin Golden Knights Jersey . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period.With its shiny $20.7 million prize pool, this weekends Dota 2 The International 6 was the largest professional esports events ever. Glory was on the line for the winning team, as well as $9.1 million and a legacy as one of the best Dota teams of all time. But the upside may have its downside, as many of the competitors have been outspoken about the immense pressure such a large prize pool focuses on players.Earlier in the week, ESPN spoke with Evil Geniuses Saahil UNiVeRsE Arora, who said that the prize pool difference between The International and the three Dota 2 Majors -- Frankfurt, Shanghai, and Manila -- has a telling impact on the competitive field (prize pools for the Majors were $3 million each). According to UNiVeRsE, teams change much more before TI than during the rest of the year, which negatively affects the stability of the scene.Speaking with Fnatics Adam 343 Erwann Shah, he echoed UNiVeRsEs sentiment:I do agree with [UNiVeRsE on] the prize pool; theres so much pressure on the teams, and you try not to think about it, but youre really just playing with that burden on your shoulders, he said during TI6. Its really bad for everyone.The pressure hurts some more than others. We asked if it gets to him and the Fnatic squad, but he reassures us that it doesnt affect them.For us, Fnatic, I dont think we really get affected by it anymore, he says. We dont really care if we lose. If we lose, we lose. I think thats the best mindset to have going into it; its what relieves you of all the pressure. Theres no pressure that exists anymore; play to win, and if you dont win, whatever.On the plus side, he says that TI-sized prize pools do facilitate interest in the game. While statistics for The International 6s viewer and engagement numbers have yet to be released, the grand finals for The International 5 attracted several million concurrent viewers.Competition-wise, by having such a big prize pool, no matter what youll attract media, attention, [and] players. People will always want to come and be a part of something like this and participate in such a ttournament, he explains.dddddddddddd More viewership will come with the prize pool growth. Its kind of a cycle. I think Dota 2 will last quite long.Although the team exited the tournament earlier than it would have liked, taking fourth place, the squad conquered some giants that stood in its way. On Thursday, the team took down Team Liquid, who had stood victorious over them at both the Manila Major and ESL One Frankfurt in the past few months. Then, on Friday, the team defeated MVP Phoenix, who earlier on in the tournament looked like a dominant force and often faces Fnatic in their qualifiers in Southeast Asia.Beating Liquid, who have been a bane to Fnatics success, came after 343 says his team decided to just YOLO it. He says the squad didnt overthink the series too much and picked heroes they felt confident and comfortable with and felt would play best versus Team Liquid.But as 18,000 gathered to watch The International in Seattle, a similar -- albeit larger -- event was taking place in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Just as the Olympics are a celebration of international diversity in sporting events, teams and players from the United States, Germany, Ukraine, China, Korea, Malaysia, and more gathered to represent their country at The International. Fnatic, a mainly Malaysian team, represented their country proudly.It means a lot [to represent Southeast Asia], especially since a lot of the fans back home are rooting for us; the support is immense, 343 says. Everyone in Southeast Asia is behind us and behind MVP Phoenix and while it feels good, its a lot of pressure to be a representative for something. Were just playing, trying to win and trying to do our best. What happens, happens.When asked to compare The International to the Olympics, 343s message was clear-cut and simple:I guess Id say [its like the Olympics], but if I was playing for a gold medal or for $9 million, Id probably have more pressure playing for the $9 million. ' ' '