Oral History Interview: Jaswindar (Jas) Singh Missan

Partial Transcript: MISSAN: My name is Jaswinder Missan and, date of birth is 30th January 1941. And I was born in Mombasa, Kenya.

Segment Synopsis: Missan introduces himself stating his name and date and place of birth.

Keywords: Date of Birth; Kenya; Mombasa--Kenya

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: I gather you played most of your early school and international career in Kenya. Can you tell me about that?
MISSAN: Yeah, I started playing for my school in the beginning. Then I played for the Sikh Union club at Mombasa at the age of fifteen, first eleven hockey.

Segment Synopsis: Missan describes his early hockey playing career while in Kenya and how this transitioned from club to international level by the time he was seventeen years old.

Keywords: England; First Eleven; Kenya; Mombasa--Kenya; Nairobi--Kenya; Right Half; School

Subjects: Teams--Boys--Club; Teams--Men--International; Training & Conditioning--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And were you very fit then?
MISSAN: Er, yes. Very, very fit. I had to, one had to work very hard and you, you deliberately did training at, what, twenty nine and thirty degrees temperatures.

Segment Synopsis: Missan discusses the importance of training at higher altitudes and hotter temperatures when preparing for his Nairobi hockey matches.

Keywords: Altitude; Mombasa--Kanya; Nairobi--Kenya; Training

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Tactics and Performance; Teams--Men--International; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And how many games did you play at international level? How long was your career?
MISSAN: No, because what happened in 19, I played in 1958 and then, in, I played another one in Mombasa, it was against India and after that I was not selected for Rome.

Segment Synopsis: Missan recounts how his international career was cut short after came to England for further studies.

Keywords: India; International Match; Kenya; Mombassa--Kenya; Olympics/Olympic Games; Rome--Italy

Subjects: Teams--Men--College & University; Teams--Men--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: MISSAN: And, er, when I first came to the trials at the university, and looked at the ground, and the first thing, it enlightens you to see a good pitch.

Segment Synopsis: Missan remembers how the standard of the pitches in London were significantly different and better to those he had been used to playing on in Kenya.

Keywords: AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Kenya; Mombassa Sports Club; Mombassa--Kenya; Pitch; South Africa; Trials; Zambia

Subjects: Playing Surfaces; Recreation

Partial Transcript: MISSAN: I just, I enjoyed hockey and just played and naturally, when I first came to this country, they think I am, they think I am a different person and my style of hockey was slightly different.
SOMERVILLE: In what way?

Segment Synopsis: Missan discusses how the style of hockey which he had learned in Kenya was seen as very different to those of his English team members.

Keywords: Australia; Bal Kakaria; Bill Colwill; British Universities Sports Association (BUSA)/British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS); Dick Hollands; Dribble/Dribbling; Hockey Ball; India; Journalist; London University; Match Report; Newspaper; Pat Ward-Thomas; Patrick Rowley; Running; Style of Play; Surrey (county); Trials

Subjects: Media; Recollection of Others--Media Figure; Recollection of Others--Player; Social & Friendships; Tactics and Performance; Teams--Men--College & University; Teams--Men--County; Tournaments--University

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And did you get selected for anything else beyond Surrey?
MISSAN: No, because I had already played, because I had already played for England, er, Kenya.

Segment Synopsis: Missan explains why he never returned to international hockey.

Keywords: England; Kenya; Kenya Hockey Union; President; Rome--Italy; Surrey (county)

Subjects: Amateurism & Professionalism; Associations--County; Fitness, Injury & Health; Rules; Teams--Men--County; Training & Conditioning--County

Partial Transcript: MISSAN: Since coming to England I hadn't really trained because in order to be very fit, what you what to achieve it, when you come to fitness, you want to be a second more faster than the person who is going to tackle you round the back.

Segment Synopsis: Missan discusses how he trained for his hockey matches while at home and how this became increasingly more difficult when he joined university.

Keywords: Cricket; Dribble/Dribbling; England; Football (Soccer); Grass; London Stadium; Training

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Recreation; Social & Friendships; Teams--Women--College & University; Training & Conditioning--College & University

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: When you left university and when to Spencer
MISSAN: Yes, I joined Spencer
SOMERVILLE: Did you find more time for training then or, because of work, was it difficult?
MISSAN: Very difficult

Segment Synopsis: Missan discusses the challenges associated with club hockey and managing a family alongside a career.

Keywords: AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Camberley; Grass; International Hockey Federation (FIH); Spencer Hockey Club; Style of Play; Training

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Rules; Teams--Men--Club; Training & Conditioning--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So which of the modern rules do you not like?
MISSAN: Er, I think, er, the biggest one, the ball in the 'D'

Segment Synopsis: Missan discusses the changes that he has witnessed within hockey over the years and which of the new rules he has found most challenging to understand and follow.

Keywords: Aerial pass; Bill Colwill; Goal; Hockey Ball; Hockey Stick; Obstruction; Rulebook; Short Corner; Turning

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Recollection of Others--Umpire; Rules

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You went on and got involved with administration and organisation of hockey at Spencer
MISSAN: Er, yeah. At Spencer and also we, after the university days we all, because the colours for university are purples, we formed a Purples Club.

Segment Synopsis: Missan reflects on how his hockey career transitioned from playing hockey into administration and organisation. He discusses how he, alongside a group of others, formed what they called the 'Purples Club'.

Keywords: Administrator; Fixtures; London--United Kingdom (UK); Purple; Purples Club; Robert Watson; Spencer Hockey Club; Treasurer

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Club; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Recollection of Others--Player

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: But you became president of Spencer
MISSAN: Yeah. I don't really remember which, '70, I played hockey and then became the captain in '72, '73.

Segment Synopsis: Missan describes how he went on to become captain, vice-president and later president of Spencer Hockey Club. He speaks of his presidency highlights including the formation of a women's side and development of an astroturf pitch.

Keywords: Alcohol; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Captain; London League; President; Second Eleven; Spencer Hockey Club; Surrey Cup; Vice-president

Subjects: Administration & Finances--Club; Awards--Hockey Trophies; Captaincy; Playing Surfaces; Recreation; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--Club; Teams--Women--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And your involvement with Asian hockey
MISSAN: With Asian hockey, I was, I was a member, I became a member of the London Indians Hockey Club.

Segment Synopsis: Missan discusses how he could continue to play Indian hockey in England after joining the London Indians Hockey Club.

Keywords: Fixtures; India; International Match; Jimmy James; London Indians Hockey Club; London--United Kingdom (UK); Treasurer

Subjects: Recreation; Teams--Men--Club; Tournaments--Club; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And you retired from hockey in 1977, is that right?
MISSN: Yeah, I just completely retired

Segment Synopsis: Missan discusses how, after retiring from club hockey, he started playing veterans hockey. He mentions the benefits this has had on his health, especially after suffering a heart attack.

Keywords: Brussels--Belgium; Bypass; Heart attack; Llamas Hockey Club; Oranje Hockey Festival; Veterans Hockey

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Life Outside of Hockey--Retirement; Teams--Men--Masters & Veterans

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And you said you made lots of friends through hockey
MISSAN: Yes
SOMERVILLE: Have these been life-long friends that you still see?

Segment Synopsis: Missan concludes by reminiscing on the friendships he has made throughout his hockey playing career.

Keywords: Patrick Rowley

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Media Figure; Recollection of Others--Player; Recreation; Reunion; Social & Friendships