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The Indian Women's Hockey Team took significant steps in refining their penalty corner conversion abilities during a specialised dragflicking camp organised from February 10-16, 2025, in Bhubaneswar.
The camp was held ahead of the recently concluded home leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25, where India competed against top teams, including England, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, according to the press release from Hockey India. The camp was led by Dutch dragflick legend Taeke Taekema, who is renowned for his penalty corner precision during his playing days. Taekema, who netted 170 goals in 94 appearances for the Netherlands Men's Hockey Team over 11 years, is widely regarded as one of the world's most feared penalty corner specialists. His illustrious career includes being the top scorer in numerous major international tournaments, including the 2002 and 2006 Men's Champions Trophy, 2006 Men's World Cup, 2008 Olympic Games, and 2010 Hero Honda FIH World Cup. He also served as the assistant coach for the China Women's Hockey Team from 2022 to 2024. Senior players, including Deepika, Manisha Chauhan, Sonam, and Annu, along with a few junior players, participated in the camp. The focus was on honing technical skills and improving drag-flick accuracy under Taekema's expert guidance. Deepika, who netted two out of her three goals through penalty corners during the home leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25, reflected on the camp's positive impact and said, "Although it was just a week-long camp, it proved to be highly beneficial for the home leg of the FIH Pro League. I focused on refining my footwork, shot release, and finishing, which gave me a clear understanding of the technical adjustments I needed to make during the tournament for dragflicking." "During the week-long camp, we concentrated on key technical areas like body positioning and stepping based on the type of shot we wanted to execute. This focus made a significant difference. Overall, it was an enriching experience. Taekema was excellent in guiding us, and we started noticing improvements under his mentorship. He also shared his own experiences as a player, which helped us build mental resilience," she said in a press release from Hockey India. Meanwhile, Indian Women's Hockey Team Chief Coach Harendra Singh expressed his excitement about having Taeke Taekema on board to assist the team with penalty corner execution. He stated, "Taeke is one of the greatest legends in dragflicking, and I requested Hockey India to bring him in to help us improve in this area. He has been working with the team on refining technique and ensuring a smoother dragflicking process. Dragflicking is a highly specialised skill, and Taeke will continue to work with us in future camps as well." Singh also acknowledged the visible improvements in Deepika's performance. "We have seen definite progress with Deepika, particularly during the recent Pro League matches. However, successful penalty corner conversions rely on three key components: the injector, stopper, and dragflicker. Unfortunately, we faced some challenges with the injection and stopping during some matches, which affected our conversion rate. That said, Deepika's tactical approach is improving with each game." Looking ahead, Singh outlined his broader vision for the team's dragflicking capabilities. "Our focus is to develop Deepika and Manisha into world-class dragflickers. Taeke's involvement will continue until the 2028 LA Olympics, and he will provide guidance to both the senior team and junior players as and when needed. In modern hockey, dragflicking and goalkeeping are crucial, so we're committed to preparing our players to compete at the highest level globally." (ANI)
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