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In the lead-up to the highly anticipated Season 2 auctions of the Hockey India League (HIL), SG Pipers' Director of Hockey, Sreejesh PR, shared insights into the team's preparations and outlined the roadmap for the season ahead. Ahead of the auctions, he expressed optimism about the upcoming campaign, highlighting the fresh perspective brought in by the new coaching staff, the team's vision, and key player acquisitions, as per a release from SG Pipers.
Outlining the team's strategy on the trade and the value addition of new team members like Jake Draper and Sharmila Devi, Sreejesh said, "Sharmila can run with the ball. She can create opportunities for the forward line, from where most of her goals come. Draper can be an added strength to our defensive structure. In our team, we do have a very good line of Indian defence. We needed a foreign player who could control the game from the middle. Draper is a free defender, and Sharmila is more into attack," as quoted from a release by SG Pipers. Opening up on the auction roadmap, Sreejesh was clear about the focus areas, "Game changers are the ones we are focusing on. In the men's team, we retained the majority of our players. We need game changers for tomorrow's auction. In the women's team we have 12 players. The 8 are going to be really crucial. The main focus is going to be a defender who can flick and a forward who can score." The coaching structure also promises a fresh dimension, he said, "When the coaches join us, they will have a clear picture of how we want to execute our plans this season. According to their plan, we are planning our auction strategy. It is not me individually making decisions about the players; it is about the coaches and their preferences. As an administrator, it is my role to provide the best players to my coaches so that they can play a hassle-free tournament." Beyond strategy and recruitment, Sreejesh emphasised the transformative impact of HIL on young Indian players, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime learning environment, "For the youngsters, this is the right platform to learn. It is a nursery for the youngsters. They are rubbing shoulders with the senior-most players. They are playing alongside them, training with them, dining with them. Every situation, every minute, there is something to learn. When you play with foreign players, they give you a different perspective. That is really important. I think this is a great platform for the youngsters to raise their level." Earlier this month, SG Pipers announced the appointment of their coaching staff, with Tim Oudenaller named Head Coach of the men's team and Sofie Gierts leading the women's team. Both coaches will work closely with Director of Hockey PR Sreejesh as the team aims to blend experienced game-changers with emerging talent. (ANI)
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