My name is Paramjit Singh and I am a vehicle operations assistant at the San Francisco Network Distribution Center.
I was born in the village of Sattowal in India. My family there have always been farmers and members of the military, but I knew I wasn’t cut out for that.
After attending a local university, I left home at 22 and got a job in Germany. I traveled and lived in several other countries, and then I came to the United States in 1984 and settled in the San Francisco area.
I joined the Postal Service in 2002. I began as a truck driver and then switched to dispatching.
I like what I do, but my passion is field hockey. As a boy, I played in India, where the sport is very popular, but I did so just for fun. When I lived in Germany, I started playing in a league for competitive players 35 and older — and that’s when I fell in love with it.
I’ve kept playing ever since, including pickup games every weekend and in local tournaments. I also proudly represent the United States in international tournaments, including Barcelona, Spain, in 2018 and Tokyo in 2022. In March, I played in Nottingham, England.
I’ve helped coach a local high school team when my schedule allows, and I help with the local clubs.
I’m 69, and physical fitness is still important to me. Hockey keeps me healthy. It’s lots of cardio, but it’s not too hard on your body.
You should stay active as long as you can, and you should enjoy your life. Never give up the things you love. That’s what keeps you alive.
I was 45 when I played in my first hockey World Cup. My wife said I was crazy. What can I say? You love what you love. For me, it’s hockey.
I will play until my last breath.
“Off the Clock,” a column on Postal Service employees and their after-hours pursuits, appears regularly in Link.
