Hockey India appoints Sjoerd Marijne as chief coach for women’s team

Hockey India on Tuesday announced the appointment of former Dutch women’s national coach Sjoerd Marijne as the chief coach for the Indian women’s hockey team for the next four years.

Marijne will be working with fellow Dutchman Eric Wonink, who will take charge as the Analytical Coach with the senior women hockey team.

The coaching duo will oversee the Indian senior women’s team’s programmes for the new Olympic cycle. Both Marijne and Wonink have joined the national camp, which is currently underway at the Sports Authority of India campus in Bhopal.

“I am very excited to take on this new assignment. From what I have followed about the Indian women’s team, they are a very talented and hard working group of women and I believe they have got great potential to establish themselves as a strong team in world hockey,” said Marijne.

Marijne, who has played for The Netherlands, led the Dutch Under-21 women’s side to a World Cup title and the Dutch senior women’s side to a gold at the Hockey World League Semi Finals in 2015.

Between 2011-2014, Marijne was the national head coach for The Netherlands Under-21 men, apart from a short stint with Liaoning Men China.

Wonink, meanwhile, has worked as a Trainer at the Talentcentre for Hockey Topsport Brabant RTC Den Bosch.

The Talentcentre is founded to help players make it to the Olympics in 2024.

During his stint with HC Den Bosch as Assistant Trainer/Coach 1^st ladies team between 2012-2014, the team finished second twice in the European Championship.

“We are happy to bring on board Sjoerd Marijne and Eric Wonink who will be working with the senior women’s team in this new Olympic cycle. The women’s team has made good progress over the past few years by qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics and winning the 2016 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy,” Md. Mushtaque Ahmad, General Secretary of HI, said.

“The women’s team has great potential and talent to register better results in the following years and we believe Sjoerd and Eric will help the team achieve newer heights. I wish them all the very best in this pursuit,” he added.