After lifting the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26, members of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team’s drag-flicking unit have credited the specialised training camp conducted by Dutch legend Taeke Taekema, whose expertise played a key role in improving their penalty-corner execution throughout the tournament.
Taekema, one of the finest drag-flickers in world hockey history, joined the Indian team during their preparatory tour of Australia in May and continued working with the squad’s drag-flickers during their stay in New Zealand ahead of the Nations Cup, under Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne.
The camp, supported by Anandana – The Coca-Cola India Foundation, focused on penalty-corner execution, technique refinement and game awareness, with drag-flickers Deepika, Lalthantluangi and Annu undergoing dedicated sessions under his guidance.
Following their intensive work during the camp, India scored 13 goals from penalty corners at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup New Zealand 2025-26. Deepika finished as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with six goals, all of which came from penalty corners.
Reflecting on the experience, Deepika said, “The drag-flicking camp this time was a lot more detailed. We didn’t just work on the pitch but also spent time watching videos of other teams to understand their defensive structures, goalkeeper positioning, and other finer details. That helped me a lot. Taekema has always helped me understand these minute details. He also made me realise the importance of staying calm and focused in pressure situations and executing my skill to the best of my abilities. The result is not always in our control, but we need to stick to our process and routines, even when things aren’t going our way.”
Lalthantluangi, who has also been working on building her drag-flicking abilities, spoke about the technical foundation the camp provided. “I have been particularly learning the drag flick. As a beginner, it has been a fantastic challenge. Coordinated movements like body rotation and balance, rather than just using muscle, are important. For me, the key focus has been the pick-up point. I’ve had to break the technique down, watch countless breakdowns of my footwork, and practise consistently. It has taught me a lot about patience, the value of learning from my mistakes, and how to stay disciplined and focused during practice.”
“Taeke is incredibly patient. He understands me very well. His calm approach helped me when I was struggling with my technique, allowing me to process and improve steadily,” she added.
Meanwhile, Annu highlighted that the camp gave her a stronger sense of belief heading into the tournament. “Training under someone with Taeke’s experience gave me a lot of confidence going into a tournament as big as the Nations Cup. It helped me trust my technique more and stay composed under pressure during crucial moments. Winning the title made all the hard work in those sessions feel worth it.”
Devyani Rana, Vice President, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola India & South West Asia, congratulated the team on the title win and reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to the partnership. “We congratulate the Indian Women’s Hockey Team on their outstanding victory at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup. Their performance throughout the tournament showcased exceptional skill, teamwork and determination. At Anandana – The Coca-Cola India Foundation, we were humbled to support specialised drag-flicking and penalty corner training initiatives as part of the team’s preparation. We thank Hockey India, the coaches and support staff for their unwavering commitment to athlete development and wish the team continued success in the tournaments ahead.”