Bengaluru | Veteran India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh believes the special coaching camps with Dutch expert Dennis van de Pol will "definitely help" the team as it prepares for a tournament in Spain this month and the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai from August 3.
The goalkeeping coach is currently conducting the first of two special camps for the India team goalkeepers in Bengaluru, while the second camp will held from September 7 to 14 ahead of the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Sreejesh, who played a key role in India winning an Olympic medal after more than four decades at the Tokyo Olympics, also said that young goalkeepers will benefit from the Dutch expert's drills.
"Dennis van de Pol is a superb coach. Working closely with someone of his experience and calibre has certainly been useful. We have important tournaments going ahead and I believe that we have utilised his time well here, particularly for the young goalies too.
"His valuable insights and coaching skills have definitely helped. We have worked on various drills including PC defence, penalty shoot outs and most importantly our footwork," said Sreejesh in a release.
India will begin their busy season with the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation-International Tournament in Terrassa, Spain, from July 25 to 30.
Their season will culminate with the Asian Games in Hangzhou, scheduled to commence on September 23.
In the five-day tournament in Spain, India will face England, Netherlands and the hosts, while at the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai, the team will be up against China, Korea, Japan, Pakistan and Malaysia in a single round-robin format.
Sreejesh, 35, said his immediate task was to put into practice what he had learnt at the special camp.
"For now, personally for me, my immediate focus is on the 100th Anniversary Spanish Hockey Federation-International Tournament, where we will be looking to execute whatever, we have practiced in the camp, and the Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023 will be a platform to see where we stand ahead of the all-important Asian Games in September."
On Chennai hosting an international hockey tournament after 16 years, Sreejesh said, "It is good to see Chennai hosting the Asian Champions Trophy. We as a team are looking forward to play in Chennai and I am sure that we will live up to the audiences' expectations." Chennai had hosted the Men's Hockey Asia Cup in 2007 where they lifted the trophy beating South Korea 7-2
