New Indian Express: Experience in Holland will help Indian eves: Indian women’s hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne
BENGALURU: The Indian women’s hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne today said the upcoming tour to the Netherlands would provide his team an invaluable experience and a chance to work under legendary Dutch coach Toon Seipman.
Apart from playing a four-match series in Holland, the Indian eves will also get an opportunity to work with Seipman.
“We will have nine training sessions with Seipman, who is a drag-flick expert. Many drag flickers across the world work with him and I am sure our drag flickers can learn a great deal from him,” said the 43-year-old Dutch coach.
“This is an aspect we need to improve upon and I believe the exposure in Holland will help in our preparations for the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup,” he added.
After a two-week break post the Women’s Hockey World League Semi-Final in Johannesburg, the Indian women’s team is back at SAI, Bengaluru for a three-week national camp.
On August 14, the 33 core probables reported for the camp, which will conclude on August 31 ahead of the team’s departure for a four-match series in the Netherlands.
“While we will work on bringing different variations in goal scoring and keeping ball possession, we will pay more attention to basics such as trapping and better passing during this camp.
“On the fitness front, I would like to see the girls get faster on the field,” said the coach.
Marijne will put the squad under grind with 10 sessions a week that includes matches against the junior boys’ side on Thursdays and Saturdays.
India captain Rani said that the team would be focussing on playing consistently.
“There are quite a few aspects we need to learn from our outing at the World League Semi Final. While we did well against USA in the first two quarters, we could not carry on the momentum into the third and fourth quarters.
“Similarly, against Argentina too we put up a good fight but it’s important to play consistently through the match and we are working on it,” said Rani.
“We need to bring more energy into our attack and I am sure playing against Holland, who are very good with attack, it will be a learning experience,” said the India forward.
Meanwhile, Marijne lauded the men’s team, which won against an experienced Netherlands team with as many as nine players from last year’s junior core group in its ranks.
“I was there during the matches India played in Holland and the energy they brought into the matches was exceptional. The women’s team makes it a point to follow the men’s matches and they are inspired by the team’s recent performance,”? Marijne said.