Okay,this is actually some exciting news for Indian women’s hockey team . Getting a legend like Taeke Taekema for special training is not small thing ah.
So this renowned Dutch dragflicker Taeke Taekema started a specialized training camp with our senior team on June 2, 2026 . The whole focus is on improving dragflicking and penalty-corner skills,which has been an issue for long time.
And this is all happening just before the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup which is set for June 15-21,2026 . So timing is very important. Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne is clearly trying to boost the squad’s attacking performance .
And tbh,this is exactly kind of focused coaching we needed.
For those who don't know,Taekema is a huge name in hockey . He is considered one of the greatest dragflickers in history,with over 200 international caps and 221 goals to his name. He has played in Olympics and World Cups,so his experience is immense. Our dragflickers like Deepika,Lalthantluangi,and Annu must be learning so much rn .
Few key things about this camp:
- Expert training provided — Taekema’s expertise will enhance dragflicking skills.
- Focus on penalty corners — The camp aims to improve conversion rates for penalty corners .
- Support from Anandana — Coca-Cola India Foundation backs women's hockey development initiatives.
This initiative is getting support from Anandana,the Coca-Cola India Foundation . They also sponsored a goalkeeping camp with coach David Williamson before the team’s Australia tour,so it seems like a proper strategy is in place now .
The team just came from a friendly series against Australia at Perth Hockey Stadium from May 26 to 30 . That series ended in a 2-2 draw,so performance was okay,but we need to convert more chances. This training could be difference maker.
Coach Marijne himself seems very optimistic about it . He said,“We know that penalty corners are crucial in modern hockey and having a coach with Taeke Taekema’s experience will be extremely valuable for us.” He also mentioned that Taekema will help with defensive structures too,not just dragflicking only.
But now the team travels to New Zealand on June 3 for more training and matches . All this preparation looks great on paper,but the real pressure will be to perform at Nations Cup. I just hope this short camp is enough to make real impact…
