Sreejesh's Post-Playing Dream: Coaching India's Hockey Teams

After an illustrious playing career culminating in an Olympic medal, PR Sreejesh has started a new chapter as a coach for India's junior men's team. His dream? To ultimately coach the senior national team, with a career path similar to that of Rahul Dravid. Having begun his coaching duties recently, he has already initiated the process of implementing his unique methodologies to groom the juniors.

Two weeks ahead of his first task at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, Sreejesh experienced his first match as a coach. While the outcome was a loss, his message to the team reflected his novel coaching approach. He stressed on the necessity of playing with full focus for the entire 60 minutes.

In his new role, Sreejesh is determined to develop his own systems and impart his knowledge and values to his team. Emphasizing clear, effective communication, Sreejesh believes that the key to successful coaching lies in the manner with which a coach relays his instructions. In preparation for the job, he has been reading coaching books by Ric Charlesworth, an Australian coach he once played under, and plans to adapt his style to modern hockey.

Sreejesh views the junior team as a pipeline that feeds the senior team and wants to ensure these players are well-prepared when called to senior level. To this end, he hopes him and his staff can serve as a bridge facilitating smooth transitions for these players. Sreejesh has also assured that he will be uncompromising on players' basic skills and the team's structure, but will give players the freedom to express themselves on the pitch.