Janneke Schopman, the head coach of the India women’s hockey team who resigned on Friday, expressed her emotional turmoil and frustration during one of her final interactions with the media.
She reflected on the team’s failure to qualify for the 2024 Olympics after their impressive fourth-place finish in Tokyo.
Schopman’s emotions are evident as she struggles to articulate her thoughts, her voice choked with emotion.
Janneke Schopman Highlights
She highlights the challenges she faced during her tenure, particularly in relation to cultural differences and gender dynamics. Schopman, who hails from the Netherlands where women are respected and valued, expresses her disappointment in feeling undervalued and alone in India.
She points out that, unlike in her home country and her previous coaching experiences in the USA, she didn’t feel her opinions were valued or respected in India, especially as a woman.
Schopman’s departure from her role as head coach officially occurred after the FIH Pro League leg in Odisha, and it’s noted that it wasn’t on the best of terms. Despite her efforts to foster growth and unity within the team, she feels her tenure ended anticlimactically, overshadowed by the challenges she faced due to cultural and gender-related issues.
Overall, Schopman’s experience sheds light on the complexities and challenges faced by international coaches, particularly women, in navigating cultural differences and gender biases within the sports industry.
At the highest echelons of any sport, coaches are inevitably measured by their team’s performance. Over the past few years, the Indian women’s hockey team achieved notable successes in major tournaments, including triumphs at the FIH Nations Cup (earning promotion to the Pro League), bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, victories at the Asian Champions Trophy, and a historic win at the Junior Asia Cup.
However, amidst these highs were significant setbacks. A disappointing ninth-place finish at the 2022 World Cup fell below expectations. The most significant blow came during the Olympic qualifiers in Ranchi, where the team missed two crucial opportunities to secure a berth for the Paris Games.
Schopman’s Legacy in Transforming India’s Hockey Team
Beyond mere results, Janneke Schopman left an indelible mark on the Indian team’s identity. Hailing from the world-renowned Dutch hockey system, where fast-paced, attacking gameplay reigns supreme, Schopman instilled a similar ethos within the Indian players. She assembled a squad comprising some of the most dynamic and promising young attacking talents globally, a fact acknowledged by her counterparts in the hockey community. Notably, in a pivotal match, Japan managed to score an early goal against Schopman’s side and attempted to defend their lead for over 50 minutes—an acknowledgment of the team’s formidable offensive prowess under her guidance.
Janneke Schopman on unequal treatment given to Indian women’s hockey team
