Hockey India names Schopman as analytical coach for women's team

New Delhi : Hockey India on Friday announced the appointment of Janneke Schopman as the Analytical Coach for the Indian Women's National Team.

The decorated hockey star who has 212 international caps for the Netherlands and also successfully led the side for two years before retirement has to her credit a Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a Silver from the 2004 Athens Olympics. She was also part of the Netherlands squad that won the World Cup in 2006, and a Silver in the 2002 and 2010 World Cup.

The 42-year-old was formerly associated with the United States National Women's Hockey team as their Head Coach from 2016 to 2019. In her career as a Coach, she was associated with the USA U21 Women's Team and also worked as Assistant Coach with the US National Women's Hockey Team from 2014 to 2016 before being promoted to the role of the Head Coach.

She was also the Head Coach for U-18 Den Bosch, a domestic club in the Netherlands.

Under her tutelage as Head Coach, the USA won the Hockey World League Round 3 in South Africa, finished third in the Pan Am Cup in 2017 and 2019. It won the Bronze medal in the FIH Champions Trophy 2016 and under her stint as Assistant Coach, the USA won the Champions Challenge in 2014 and finished 1st in the Pan Am Games in 2015.

Incidentally, the Indian Women's Hockey Team defeated the USA at the FIH Olympic Qualifiers in November 2019 to win their second consecutive Olympic berth.

"I am looking forward to working with Janneke. We know each other for a long time and have the same thoughts about hockey and her experience as an Olympic Gold Medallist and World Cup winner will give the team a good boost in our preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics," stated Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne.

Schopman will join the on-going Indian National Coaching Camp in SAI, Bengaluru on January 18 and accompany the team for their season opener in New Zealand where they will play the hosts and Great Britain.

"I am really excited to work with the Indian Women's Hockey Team. I have followed their game for quite a while and I believe they are a very talented and determined group of players.

I look forward to contributing to their zest to achieve desired results for India," stated Janneke whose contract is till the end of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.