CHENNAI: A few months after former India coach Graham Reid implored Hockey India (HI) to appoint a mental conditioning coach, HI have acted upon his request by bringing on board celebrated mental coach Paddy Upton. After the hosts suffered a shock defeat at the hands of New Zealand in a World Cup knockout game in January, when asked if the team would benefit from a mental trainer, Reid had said: “... we need to do something different perhaps. Following this, we will work on how we can get a mental coach involved. I think that is an important part for the future of the team.
“I have been in this game for a long time and I know what other teams are doing. If there is anything necessary, a silver bullet out there, I do think that (is) mentally.” The new chief coach, Craig Fulton, welcomed the idea of a mental coach for his side after his appointment. So, HI approached Upton, who was with the men’s cricket team when they won the 50-over World Cup in 2011.
“I am honoured to be given this opportunity,” Upton said in a press release. “I have witnessed the tremendous growth of Indian hockey in recent years, and I am excited to contribute to the team’s success by enhancing their mental resilience and psychological skill set.” The South African will be with the side for the Asian Champions Trophy as well as the Asian Games.
Selection trials going on
The senior men’s team began a two-day selection trial at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) campus in Bengaluru on Thursday. The trial will form the basis for the squad the management will name for the next two events — a four-nation invitational event in Spain in late July as well as the ACT in Chennai in the first two weeks of August.
It remains to be seen whether HI will name two different squads for the events. The buzz is that it could be a mix and match team for both events with players not picked for the Spain meet heading to Chennai a week or so before the ACT which begins on August 3.
The team selected for the event in Spain will depart for Terrassa around July 16. They will play Spain on July 25 followed by matches against Netherlands on July 26 and England on July 28.