Hockey India has announced the appointment of Sjoerd Marijne as the chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team. This marks the return of the Dutchman to the Indian set-up after a historic performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games, where the team finished fourth in their second appearance at the quadrennial event in more than 36 years.
Marijne will be supported by Matias Vila as the analytical coach. Vila, a former midfielder from Argentina, made his international debut in 1997 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics for Argentina. He has been involved in coaching for over the past two decades.
Also returning to the Indian hockey scene is Wayne Lombard, who will serve as Scientific Advisor and Head of Athletic Performance, supported by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, both in the role of scientific advisor, as stated by Hockey India in a release.
On his return to India, after a successful tenure between 2017 to 2021 in which the Indian women’s team advanced to the top 10 in world rankings, Marijne expressed, “It’s great to be back. After 4.5 years, I return with fresh energy and a clear vision to support the team’s growth and help the players achieve their full potential on the world stage.”
Marijne’s first significant challenge as chief coach will be the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, Telangana, scheduled from March 8 to 14. He will arrive in India on January 14, while the National Coaching Camp begins on January 19 at SAI, Bengaluru.
Speaking about the appointment, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said, “We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) for expediting the appointment in order to ensure the team’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers are not hampered. Emphasis has been laid on the fitness of the team, which was one of the key reasons for the Indian women’s historic performance in Tokyo. We look forward to a fruitful stint.”
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh echoed similar sentiments, stating, “We wish Sjoerd Marijne and the rest of the support staff the very best in their endeavours. Sjoerd comes with the understanding of the team; many players in the core group have already played under him. We now expect this team to perform well, especially with the Asian Games coming up and the World Cup Qualifier.”