Neil Hawgood back with Indian Women

New Delhi, Oct 29th 2015: In a surprise move, Hockey India has again roped in former chief coach of women hockey team, Neil Hawgood to fortify preparation process of the team for the Rio Olympics 2016.

He is expected to join the coaching team consisting of CR Kumar (India) and Mathias Ahrens (Canada).

Neil succeeded CR Kumar as chief coach two years ago after Indian women failed to win the home OQ (HWL R2)in 2012. During his two-year tenure Indian women’s team had won the Hockey World League Round 2 (2013), Silver in the Asian Champions Trophy, bronze medal at Asian Games 2014 and also bagged 5th position at Commonwealth Games 2014.

Neil Hawgood, has an impressive biodata as a player.

He represented Australia from 1985-1991.

It was during this time that Australia won Gold and Bronze Medals in the 1986 and 1990 FIH World Cup’s respectively. He has also represented Australia in the Champions Trophy and in the Seoul Olympics 1988 where Australia finished fourth. He in his other assignments has represented the Australian Institute of Sport and various local field hockey clubs from Queensland and Brisbane.

He embarked on his coaching career from 1993 where his most notable assignments have been as the Assistant Coach of the Australian Women’s team, Head Coach of the Malaysian hockey team, and Chief Coach of the Indian Senior and Junior women’s team from 2012-2014. Neil also has been the full time hockey coach for West Australian Institute of Sport, both men’s and women’s program.

Neil Hawgood said, “Working with the Indian Women’s Hockey team has been a great experience. I am extremely proud of their performance and am glad that they secured a spot for themselves for the Rio Olympics 2016. It’s their hard work that has brought them here, and I hope to add value to them and take them to the next level which they and this nation aspires to see them in.”

Narinder Dhruv Batra, President, Hockey India said, “We are happy to have Neil Hawgood back with us on board as a Coach for the Indian Women’s Hockey Program. Under Neil’s able leadership, the Indian women’s hockey team had progressed extremely well in the last two-and-half years and we look forward to a similar and much enhanced result in Indian Hockey Team’s ranking and performance.”