Having worked extensively with the Indian men’s hockey team for more than a year, Roelant Oltmans is now concentrating on the women’s team and said his past experience in working with women’s teams is coming in handy.
Indians hope to advance to the next round at the Hockey World League Round 2, starting at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium here from March 7, and Oltmans is optimistic.
“I have coached women’s teams before. I know there are a lot of physical differences between men and women. But these girls are eager to learn. They work hard and try to improve every moment we are on the ground. I see a lot of progress. They are getting better,” the Hockey India High Performance Director said after a high-intensity training session on Wednesday.
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About the progress being made by the team, Oltmans was appreciative. “They need a bit of polishing. If you look at Asian Games, the girls performed quite well. We tested them a few days ago and, at the moment, they are better than what they were at the Asiad. These girls are very competitive. They have improved throughout the last year and the challenge now is to get better.”
Acknowledging that qualifying for the Rio Olympics would be a big challenge — Indian women have only participated once, in the inaugural edition in 1980, and finished fourth — Oltmans said it was achievable.
“For this tournament, our aim is to be in the top two to make sure the next step can be taken. I will step back then and Anthony Thornton, who is arriving here on March 9, will start his work,” he added.
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Men’s physical trainer Matthew Eyles has stepped in to work on the players’ fitness and was seen pushing them through a series of innovative drills.
Oltmans said the team would get its own trainer very soon. “We had a meeting today and have finalised the person we want to be working with women’s team but there are some details that need to be worked out now and very soon the girls will have their own trainer,” he said.