Indian women’s hockey team ropes in dutch legend Taeke Taekema until LA 2028 Olympics

India appoints Dutch legend Taeke Taekema to enhance women's hockey drag-flicking skills, aiming for improved penalty-corner efficiency ahead of the 2028 Olympics.

India has brought in legendary Dutch drag-flicker Taeke Taekema to assist the national women’s hockey team until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. With an impressive record of 170 goals in 94 matches for the Netherlands, Taekema is renowned as one of the best in drag-flicking.

He initially conducted a seven-day training camp from February 10 to 16 in preparation for India’s FIH Pro League matches against top teams like England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain in Bhubaneswar. This camp was attended by players like Deepika, Manisha Chauhan, Sonam, Annu, and some junior athletes, focusing on refining drag-flick techniques and accuracy.

Harendra Singh optimistic onTaeke Taekema

Harendra Singh, the chief coach of the Indian women’s team, praised the significant impact of the camp and confirmed Taekema’s ongoing involvement. He acknowledged Taekema’s expertise, stating, “Taeke is one of the greatest legends in drag-flicking, and I requested Hockey India to bring him in to help us improve in this area. Drag-flicking is a highly specialised skill, and Taeke will continue to work with us in future camps as well.” Harendra commended Deepika’s progress, though he noted some challenges with penalty-corner execution due to issues with injection and stopping.

India’s coach expections from women’s hockey team

Coach Harendra Singh aims to transform players like Deepika and Manisha into world-class drag-flickers, highlighting the critical role of penalty-corner efficiency in modern hockey. Deepika expressed her gratitude towards Taekema’s guidance, saying, “He was excellent in guiding us, and we started noticing improvements under his mentorship.” The collaborative effort aims to bolster the skills needed for successful penalty-corner conversions, improving India’s competitiveness on the international stage.