Pritam Siwach Critiques Lack of Trust in Indian Female Hockey Coaches

Add as a preferred source on Google

Former national women's hockey team captain Pritam Siwach has expressed concern over the lack of confidence in Indian female coaches. She highlighted that many still doubt their capability to lead the national team effectively.

Siwach, a Dronacharya Awardee, has been coaching at the Sonepat Hockey Academy since 2004 and led the junior women's team to a silver medal at the 2012 Jr Asia Cup.

Siwach, who was part of India's gold-winning team at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and a silver medallist at the 1998 Asian Games, is a trailblazer in women's hockey. She urged stakeholders to trust Indian coaches, questioning why they can train grassroots players but not lead the national team. "We should trust them. If we can prepare grassroots players for the national team, why can't we coach it?" she stated.

Challenges with Foreign Coaches

While acknowledging the expertise of foreign coaches, Siwach pointed out issues like language barriers that hinder communication during critical moments. She explained that players often struggle to understand instructions when foreign coaches speak during short breaks. "There is language barrier. We get two minutes break, and then foreign coaches come and talk, and players don't know what the coach just said," she added.

Siwach also noted that despite recognising foreign coaches' skills, India seems overly reliant on them. "I'm not saying that foreign coaches are bad par phir toh hum unke peeche hi ho gaye na foreign coaches are bad but then again we are following them," she remarked. She emphasised that there is significant talent within India that should be harnessed.

India remains a male-dominated society where women have made progress but still face challenges in leadership roles. Siwach commented on this disparity, noting that while foreign female coaches are welcomed, Indian women are not trusted with similar responsibilities. "They say that women have come a long way. But today also they don't trust that an Indian woman can coach the national team," she said during the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year nomination announcement.

Siwach's comments highlight a need for greater confidence in homegrown talent. Her call for change reflects a desire to see more opportunities for Indian female coaches to lead at the highest levels of sport.