Times of India: Thanks to HIL, I can pay university fees, says Aus forward

NEW DELHI: Hockey India League (HIL) has been a financial boon to the players world over and is set to change the life of Australian forward Tom Craig, who intends to pay for his university fees with earnings from the upcoming event.

“That amount of money makes a massive difference to any hockey player, you’d think. Certainly, for me, I appreciate the opportunity that the HIL brings as far as professionalizing the game, and this money will most likely go straight towards my university fees,” said Craig, who was bought by the Kalinga Lancers for USD 67,000.
Craig’s ability to counter-attack is top notch and hockey lovers will get to see his delightful skills at the HIL beginning on January 21.

“I remember watching on TV when the first series of HIL was played, and absolutely loved it,” says Craig, who made his debut for the Australian men’s team in 2014 for the Test Series against India.

“Most young Australian hockey players have plenty of interest in the HIL, and I am no exception. It’s such an exciting tournament and I cannot wait to be involved. India is a fantastic country and the crowds are brilliant. There’s so much to look forward to,” stated the 21-year-old ahead of his debut season.

Craig will be part of the Kalinga Lancers which is led by legendary German hockey star Moritz Fuerste. He will also have fellow Australians Glenn Turner, Matthew Dawson, Andrew Charter and Aran Zalewski joining him in the Lancers’ camp.

For Craig, playing against his own teammates will be most exciting during the league. He says, “Every team has a wealth of unbelievable talent, but I would have to say I love playing against my Australian teammates the most, so I’m looking forward to that.”

Ahead of a challenging season for his home team Australia, Craig feels his exposure will mean that he goes back with some valuable lessons. “This season hopefully exposes me a bit more to the world’s best players, which will be such a valuable learning opportunity. We start the season fairly hard with the international team so a good few months in India playing good hockey will, with any luck, leave me sharper than what I would be without it,” Craig added.