Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 23 (ANI): Indian junior girls’s hockey group defender Preeti is ready to steer her facet within the upcoming FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2023 to be held in Santiago, Chile from November 29, 2023, to December 10, 2023, and mentioned that her facet has gained numerous confidence since securing the Junior Asia Cup title this yr.
16 groups shall be competing within the match divided into 4 swimming pools. India is positioned in Pool C together with Germany, Belgium, and Canada. The defending Champions the Netherlands are positioned alongside South Africa, Australia, and Chile in Pool A, whereas Argentina, Korea, Spain, and Zimbabwe kind Pool B. England, the United States, New Zealand and Japan are grouped collectively in Pool D, as per a press launch from Hockey India.
India will start their marketing campaign in Chile on November 29 towards Canada and can hope to get off to a stable begin. In the landmark fiftieth episode of Hockey Te Charcha, a podcast collection launched by Hockey India, Preeti, who additionally led India to a Gold medal on the Women’s Junior Asia Cup earlier this yr, spoke on the group’s preparations forward of the match.
“We are all quite excited to compete in the tournament. We have gained a lot of confidence since our title win at the Women’s Junior Asia Cup and we wish to carry forward the same momentum. We have been preparing well and have had really good training sessions under Coach Tushar Khandekar. In a short span of time, we have held important discussions about the team’s structure and how we can improve our skills. We are also working on developing in key areas,” mentioned Preeti.
India defeated Korea 2-1 within the ultimate of the Women’s Junior Asia Cup in June to assert the gold medal. The win helped India safe a place on the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2023. Preeti says the group is now vying to convey laurels from the distinguished match the place a medal has been elusive since 2013 when India secured a bronze medal.
“After successful campaigns at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, hockey has been regaining prominence once again in the country. Hockey India has also been focusing on the development of players at the grassroots level and a lot of attention is now being also given to the junior teams. This has really boosted the morale of all the players. There are expectations from everyone that we will win a medal this year in Chile. So, we will work hard to fulfil those expectations,” Preeti mentioned.
The Indian Women’s Hockey Team had completed within the fourth place on the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2021, after happening 2-2 (0-3 SO) in a thriller towards England within the Bronze medal match. Preeti was part of the group that had travelled to Potchefstroom, South Africa, and talked about her learnings from the match.
“I was really young the last time and only featured in one match. I feel we used to lose our concentration in the final few minutes of matches in the past which would affect our results. But this has been a big learning for us this year that a game is not over till the final whistle. We know we have to keep similar levels of intensity till the end of the match,” she mentioned.
Preeti, who hails from Sonipat, Haryana, gained curiosity within the sport at a younger age when she was finding out within the sixth class. Belonging to a small city, Preeti noticed enjoying hockey as a way for her to go exterior her dwelling and spend time along with her mates. At her family, it was laborious for her to step exterior as a result of restrictions imposed by elder family members.
Preeti began coaching at Pritam Siwach’s Academy in Sonipat the place she realised that she wanted to work laborious to proceed her gradual progress within the sport. Preeti would depart the home quietly, telling her household that she goes to review in order that she will be able to proceed her coaching. “If I would get to spend time at the training grounds, I would feel content, even if I get scolded at home,” she recalled.
In her youthful days, Preeti obtained loads of help from her father, who was a wrestler throughout his younger days however needed to stop the game as a result of an damage. At the age of 13, she suffered an damage on her leg throughout a district-level match and needed to get surgical procedure. She was suggested to be on full mattress relaxation for over a yr and her docs raised doubts whether or not she would be capable to play hockey once more.
“It was a tough time for me and I was quite depressed at that time. My father did not tell me that doctors have hinted that I may not play again. He told me that if I wished to play hockey, I could continue to do so. I also received a lot of support from my coach who constantly motivated me and I was able to return to the sport. After returning to the sport when I was in 8th or 9th class, I started taking sport even more seriously,” she mentioned.
Now, Preeti has turn out to be an everyday member of the Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team and has earned 14 worldwide caps for the group. She additionally featured for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team that competed on the Hero FIH Hockey 5s Lausanne 2022.
“I feel proud of my achievements and I feel like I have answered all those who doubted me. I feel women can also achieve big things in sports, and I hope I can set an example for others so that more women do not have to face similar troubles that I had to face,” Preeti mentioned.
Now, because the Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team gears up for his or her hardest problem of the yr in Chile, Preeti expressed hopes that the Indian followers will proceed to cheer for them, as she feels it will hold her facet motivated all through the match.
“A message for Indian fans would be that they continue to support us as they did during the Women’s Junior Asia Cup. Hearing their voices makes us feel that we are a part of a larger family and increases our confidence,” she signed off. (ANI)