New Delhi: Hockey India, the apex organisation governing field hockey in India, has announced the return of Neil Hawgood, who in his earlier stint has served as the Chief Coach of the Indian Women’s Hockey team. Neil’s return will see the seasoned professional join the Coaching Team of the Indian women’s team as they prepare for the Rio Olympics 2016. Neil contribution towards enhancing the performance and ranking of Indian Women’s Hockey team has been noteworthy, as it was only during his regime where the team won the Hockey World League Round 2 (2013), Silver in the Asian Champions Trophy, bronze medal at Asian Games 2014 and also bagged 5th position at Commonwealth Games 2014.

Neil Hawgood, has himself been a famed hockey player representing Australia’s senior team from 1985-1991. It was during this time that Australia won Gold and Bronze Medals in the 1986 and 1990 FIH World Cup’s respectively. He has also represented Australia in the Champions Trophy and in the Seoul Olympics 1988 where Australia finished fourth. He in his other assignments has represented the Australian Institute of Sport and various local field hockey clubs from Queensland and Brisbane. He embarked on his coaching career from 1993 where his most notable assignments have been as the Assistant Coach of the Australian Women’s team, Head Coach of the Malaysian hockey team, and Chief Coach of the Indian Senior and Junior women’s team from 2012-2014. Neil also has been the full time hockey coach for West Australian Institute of Sport, both men’s and women’s program.

Speaking on his return as a Coach for Indian Women’s Hockey program, Mr. Neil Hawgood said, “Working with the Indian Women’s Hockey team has been a great experience. I am extremely proud of their performance and am glad that they secured a spot for themselves for the Rio Olympics 2016. It’s their hard work that has brought them here, and I hope to add value to them and take them to the next level which they and this nation aspires to see them in.”

Speaking ahead of this announcement, Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra, President, Hockey India said, “We are happy to have Neil Hawgood back with us on board as a Coach for the Indian Women’s Hockey Program. Under Neil’s able leadership, the Indian women’s hockey team had progressed extremely well in the last two-and-half years and we look forward to a similar and much enhanced result in Indian Hockey Team’s ranking and performance.”

Indian Women’s Hockey team is positioned at 13th rank. Indian Women’s Hockey team qualifies for Rio Olympics after a long gap of 36 years.