Legendary Dutch dragflicker Taeke Taekema recently conducted a specialized training camp with the senior Indian women’s hockey team during their tour of Australia and New Zealand. The focus of the training was on enhancing dragflicking and penalty-corner skills in preparation for the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26. Taekema, known for his exceptional dragflicking abilities, aims to boost the team’s performance in these crucial areas.
Indian dragflickers Deepika, Lalthantluangi, and Annu are actively participating in targeted training sessions to improve India’s penalty-corner conversions and overall attacking prowess. Taekema’s expertise and experience are expected to play a vital role in refining the team’s defensive structures as well. The Indian team is gearing up for the upcoming international season with a strong focus on maximizing their penalty-corner opportunities.
Anandana, supported by the Coca-Cola India Foundation, is backing this initiative to promote women’s hockey development in India. The foundation also sponsored a specialized goalkeeping camp in Bengaluru for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team, led by renowned coach David Williamson. The team recently engaged in a friendly series of four matches against Australia in Perth, resulting in a 2-2 draw, as part of their preparations for the FIH Women’s Nations Cup in Auckland.
The Indian team is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand on June 3 to continue their training, including practice matches leading up to the FIH Women’s Nations Cup. Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne expressed the significance of penalty corners in modern hockey and highlighted the invaluable expertise that Taekema brings to the team. Marijne emphasized the importance of maximizing penalty-corner opportunities and expects the training camp to significantly enhance the team’s performance in this aspect.
