‘An experience to write a book, last a lifetime’

Sjoerd Marijne, the Indian women’s hockey team’s Dutch coach had hoped to part ways on a high after a four-year stint. The way his team fought at this Olympics, he got his wish. Even though Marijne went running on to the turf to comfort the crying team after the loss to Great Britain in the bronze medal play-off, he started crying himself after getting the team in a huddle.

It was his last match with the Indian women’s team. The 47-year-old, who took over the reins in 2017, briefly switched to the men’s team and came back to the women’s set up in 2018, does not wish to extend his contract.

Right now, he wants nothing more except to be home with his family. In the last four years, he had seen little of them. During the lockdown last year, the Dutch coach chose to stay with the team in a bubble in Bengaluru instead of leaving for the Netherlands.

In Tokyo, the Marijne touch could be seen in the never-saydie spirit of the team. “I told them I can’t take away your tears girls; we didn’t win a medal but there is something big which you have won,” Marijne said. “You won’t realise now that you have won the hearts and you inspired all the people in India. I think this is the main thing, and slowly they will realize this. Today we are top-four in the world and we must not forget that. Yes, only one team can win and today it was Great Britain.”

Marijne said he plans to write a book about his experience with the Indian hockey team. “They have inspired the whole of India and may be many more people. People of India are so proud of their country and that is what I like about India,” Marijne said. “I know when it is not going well they also give it to you. But they are proud of their country and people cry. I have emotional messages from people—‘i am watching it with my father, my son and I will never forget this for the rest of my life’.”

As soon as he began coaching the team, Marijne realized that one of the things that the team badly needed was more exposure tours and more top notch matches, the kind that you get from participating in the Pro League. “The girls are not used to these kinds of things (the pressure of top level matches),” he said. “We don’t play Pro League, we don’t have the World Cup (women) in India, we don’t play Hockey India League. These things will be important to bring a change for the girls. Then they can take the next step and maybe next time they will be on the podium.”

The changes Marijne could make along with his support staff and the enthusiastic participation of the squad involved making them more skilful, fitter and mentally stronger, all things that were on full display in Tokyo. “Today they are more consistent, physically stronger and we can change a match,” he said. “It is about the mindset of never giving up. It is about how you are as a woman—that if I talk to you, I can talk looking straight in the eyes. The whole attitude, it is a culture change what we have done. The new girls coming in the team know that this is required. That is what happens in countries like the Netherlands. Young girls come into the national team and they know exactly what is required.”

Analytical coach Janneke Schopman, a two-time Olympic medallist with the Netherlands, will be the new coach..

“She is the best. She knows the system, the structure, she knows exactly what needs to be done and she is good with the girls,” Marijne said.