India’s women’s hockey team has brought in Dutch drag-flick legend Taeke Taekema on a short-term basis, aiming to sharpen its penalty-corner efficiency ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Taekema, known for his deadly accuracy and powerful drag-flicks, scored an astonishing 170 goals in just 94 appearances for the Netherlands, cementing his legacy as one of the finest drag-flickers the sport has ever seen.
Taekema’s first engagement with the Indian team came during a seven-day special camp held from February 10 to 16 in Bhubaneswar, right before India’s FIH Pro League matches. During the camp, he worked closely with players including Deepika, Manisha Chauhan, Sonam, Annu, and several promising junior players. The focus was on refining techniques, improving accuracy, and adding more variations to their drag-flicking arsenal.
Indian women’s team chief coach Harendra Singh, who was instrumental in bringing Taekema on board, was highly appreciative of the initial results. “Taeke is one of the greatest legends in drag-flicking, and I requested Hockey India to involve him to help us improve this specialised area,” Harendra said.
“Drag-flicking is a crucial skill in modern hockey, and we need to ensure our players can execute it consistently under pressure. Taeke will continue to work with us in future camps as well.”
While Harendra acknowledged visible improvement in Deepika’s performances during the recent Pro League matches, he also pointed out that penalty-corner conversions depend on seamless coordination between the injector, stopper, and drag-flicker — an area where India faced some difficulties.
“We’ve seen definite progress with Deepika, particularly during the recent Pro League matches. However, successful penalty-corner execution is a three-step process. We faced challenges with the injection and stopping in some matches, which hurt our conversion rates. But Deepika’s tactical understanding and execution are improving game by game.”
The long-term goal, Harendra emphasised, is to develop Deepika and Manisha into world-class drag-flickers capable of consistently delivering in high-pressure situations. Penalty corners play a vital role in modern hockey, and India’s ability to capitalise on them will be crucial for their success at the 2028 Olympics and beyond.
Deepika herself credited Taekema’s mentorship for her recent improvement. “He was excellent in guiding us, and we started noticing improvements under his mentorship,” she said.
With Taekema’s expertise and ongoing support, India hopes to transform its drag-flicking unit into a potent weapon, capable of challenging the best in the world.
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