For 16-year-old spiker Sukhmeet Singh of Lalpur village in Tarn Taran, the journey to the international volleyball stage has not been easy. He tried out for Sports Authority of India centres twice in 2022 and 2023 but failed to make the cut. He finally cleared the trials in 2025, and a year later, earned his place at the training facility in Mastuana Sahib.Things have progressed quickly for him since and the youngster is now in Doha, Qatar, donning the Indian jersey at the ongoing Under-17 Boys World Championship.For Sukhmeet’s family, it all goes back to his father’s belief in allowing children to discover their passion beyond the classroom. Gurpreet Singh, a government primary school teacher and a former football player, said he wanted his son to grow up playing sports and not spend all his time buried in books. “I used to take him to the ground when he was young,” he said, adding, “One should not force children to spend all their times studying.”Unsurprisingly, Sukhmeet tired his hand at several sports, including football, tennis and badminton before finding his calling in volleyball. His decision was met with scepticism. “Convincing my wife was not easy, but I told her, ‘eh ohde khedan de din hai (it’s an age where he should go out and play)’,” Gurpreet recalled.It helped that the family already had a volleyball connection. Sukhmeet’s grandfather was a player and their village too had a strong volleyball culture, having produced the likes of former India captain Ranjit Singh.Singh took on an important role in setting Sukhmeet on his current path, encouraged his father to send him for the trials.That advice led Sukhmeet to coach Yadwinder Singh Aulakh in Mastuana Sahib. “Despite the early rejections, he had a spark in him. He kept working on the suggestions given to him and the result is for everyone to see,” Aulakh said.Watching Sukhmeet walk out onto the court for a World Championship match is more than a sporting milestone for the family. “I would like to encourage other parents to give their children space and time to explore their talent,” he signed off.