Hockey Olympic Qualifiers: Rupinder Pal Singh conducts camp for Indian drag-flickers

BENGALURU: With only a few weeks to go for the women's Olympic qualifiers, renowned drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh conducted a camp for the Indian drag-flickers, giving them tips ahead of the crucial outing to be held in Ranchi from January 13-19.

Rupinder Pal Singh is currently at SAI Bengaluru to conduct a 5-day drag flicking camp for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. The camp, which commenced on December 27, will see Rupinder Pal assisting the Indian women’s hockey team’s drag-flickers, including Deepika and Gurjit Kaur, ahead of the crucial FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024.

In the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, India are placed in Pool B along with New Zealand, Italy, and the United States. Meanwhile, Pool A consists of Germany, Japan, Chile, and the Czech Republic.

Speaking about their ongoing session, seasoned Indian player Gurjit Kaur said, “The 5-day drag flicking camp at SAI Bengaluru has proven to be a valuable experience for us. We are learning new things each day and looking to further improve our game by focusing on specific aspects that need refinement.

"Rupinder has been instrumental in guiding us, and the overall experience has been one of focused intensity. As we gear up for the upcoming tournaments, we are confident that the lessons learned here will contribute significantly to our performance on the field," she said.

Echoing Gurjit’s sentiments, young forward Deepika said Rupinder’s experience as a drag-flicker has been invaluable to them.

“He shared his insights on the first rushers in today’s game, how they have become fearless and close down on the ball faster than before. To counter this, he advised us to pick up the ball faster.

"We also picked his brain on how to beat the first rusher, determining the line the rusher follows, where to get the ball stopped, which angle to take the shot in, and how to deal with mis-trapped balls. This camp will help us strengthen our penalty corners and give us a better chance to score in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024,” Deepika commented.

Rupinder Pal Singh had scored a whopping 234 goals in 223 appearances for the Indian Men’s Hockey Team before his retirement in 2021. The towering fullback was also an integral part of the team that claimed the bronze medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“Gurjit and Deepika are exceptional players and drag-flickers. They quickly understand and implement my pointers. This crash course will be a fantastic way to brush up on their skills before heading to Ranchi to participate in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024.

"The whole team seems to be giving their all to ensure they qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, and I am certain that they will do well in Ranchi,” the ace drag-flicker said on the ongoing camp.