Training under Rupinder at national camp will help me during Asian Games: Deepika

Indian womens hockey teams penalty corner specialist Deepika feels the training stint at the national camp under former mens dragflicker Rupinder Pal Singh will help her in taking decisions in match situations during the upcoming Asian GamesThe 19yearold Deepika is one of three dragflickers available to chief coach Janneke Schopman for penalty corners She has scored seven goals four of which came from penalty corners in six games at the womens Junior Asia Cup which India won earlier this yearWeve been working on dragflicking with Rupinder Pal Singh in camp for a few days now hes got us working on beating the first rusher showing us where the ball can be stopped and how to release if the ball is stopped on the sides Deepika saidAll of this help will undoubtedly help me in match situations during the 19th Asian Games in HangzhouI dont feel any pressure to score by flicking all the players let me focus on my skill and encourage me to keep the shot on goal as much as I can she added in a Hockey India releaseDeepika said she was not expecting to make it to the Asian Games teamWith everyone vying for a spot I never expected to make the team and I was ecstatic when I found out Its my first time going to a big tournament and I was a little nervous at first but chief coach Janneke Schopman and the senior players have kept me grounded she saidMy father has had a few sleepless nights since he found out I suppose because he cant believe its actually happening but seeing him as happy as a child when he was in Bengaluru for the sendoff ceremony was very fulfilling He himself said he didnt think Id be chosen but he is extremely proud of everything Im accomplishing she addedDeepika who hails from Hisar in Haryana picked up the hockey stick in 2012 on her way to wrestling practice with her brother and after years of hard work she has made the cut for the Indian womens team that will compete in the Asian Games in Hangzhou China beginning on September 23My family has always been supportive of my hockey career even though a lot was said about me when I first started playing My father never let it reach my ears the youngster said of her early hockey daysAnd after my first subjunior National Championships in 2017 they started motivating me even more their belief in me was visibleDeepika made it to the national team as a forward in the Youth Olympic Qualifiers in March 2018 She has since featured in the FIH womens Junior World Cup in Potchefstroom South Africa in 2021 where India finished fourth She was also part of the Junior Asia Cup titlewinning team in JuneThe Indian womens hockey team is placed in Pool A in the Hangzhou Asian Games and will face Korea Malaysia Hong Kong and Singapore in the group stageThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever