Participation in World The Cup and Commonwealth Games against all the top teams in the world in under a month is a learning experience for a player returning to the sport after a break.
Performing well in such mega-events held close to each other has given Indian women’s hockey team midfielder Sonika the confidence that she can compete with anyone in the world. The young midfielder was part of the World Cup squad and made all six games debut at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as the Indian team won a bronze medal, their first medal since 2006.
Sonika, who played an integral role in the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2022 in Spain and the Netherlands and the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, spoke about her experiences competing in major tournaments for the first time.
Sonika, who took a break from the game in 2020 due to personal reasons, made a solid return to the Indian team when she joined the squad for the FIH Women’s Pro League 2021/22 in March 2022.
On the back of her consistent performances, Sonika made it to the Indian squad for the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2022, where she debuted in all six games. In the Commonwealth Games 2022, Sonika was a dominant force in the midfield.
“Returning to hockey after a long hiatus, and then competing in major tournaments for the first time was a very positive experience for me. I always believed in the team and I knew we had the ability to do well. But on a personal level, the competition in these matches gave me a boost of confidence to face every challenge in front of me,” Sonika was quoted as saying by Hockey India in a release on Saturday.
Speaking on how Indian hockey has evolved over the years, Sonika emphasized on how they have become more effective in the attack.
“The Indian women’s hockey team has improved a lot over the years. We have started playing solid attacking hockey as a team. We are constantly penetrating inside the circle and the opponents are always alert to the danger that lies inside the circle.”
“We went with similar strategies and ended with a medal for India in the Commonwealth Games 2022, so it was a matter of great pride and joy for our team,” Sonika said.
The dynamic midfielder also praised head coach Janke Schopman for helping him stay fit after his return to the team.
He said, ‘Everyone supported me after I returned to the team. He gave me confidence and kept giving me opportunities. Coach Janneke Schopman kept motivating me and helping me emotionally. She kept telling me that I am a good player. I think as a coach he has a great understanding of how players are taken care of on and off the field. It really helped me a lot,” Sonika said.
Speaking about her performance in the Commonwealth Games, Sonika expressed satisfaction but said that she wants to improve in some areas in the coming months.
“I was happy with my performance in the Commonwealth Games, but there are still some areas in which I want to improve. I spoke to all the experienced members of the team who constantly share their suggestions and suggestions, which I find very helpful I also want to improve my game in defence,” said Sonika.
“With the Asian Games next year, I am looking forward to the upcoming competitions and learning from the same. Our aim is to ensure a podium finish at the Asian Games and ensure Olympic qualification.”
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