• Hockey

NHU's preparations for Croatia underway

• 1 Month Ago 02 October 2024

The Namibia Hockey Union's men’s and women’s national indoor teams took a significant step in their preparation for the 2025 FIH Indoor World Cup with an intensive training camp held in Windhoek last weekend.

The camp brought together both locally and internationally based players for a valuable period of technical refinement, game strategy sessions and conditioning drills.

The training camp aimed to kickstart the 2025 World Cup preparations and provided an opportunity for coaches to evaluate the potential squad members. The camp sessions covered not only technical skills and game principles but also incorporated fitness and mental coaching, ensuring a holistic approach to the teams’ development.

The training was also extended to the emerging U18 indoor squads, who had the chance to test themselves against the senior squads in practice matches, giving both the juniors and seniors valuable match experience.

Porec, Croatia will host the 2025 FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup from 3 to 9 February 2025.

The final teams to represent Namibia at the World Cup will be announced at the end of October.

Head coach of the men’s team, Trevor Cormack, shared his thoughts on the weekend’s efforts. “The camp was a great opportunity to assess players and finalise our selections as we enter the tournament preparation phase. The high level of intensity and competition made the selection process challenging.”

Meanwhile, Shayne Cormack, head coach of the women’s team, expressed satisfaction with the players’ progress. “I’m happy with the attendance and the effort shown this weekend. The hard work starts now as we finalise the squad – there is certainly no place for passengers!”

Fagan Hansen, one of the men’s team proven goal-shooters at top competitions, reflected: “The training camp was both intense and challenging, especially for those of us who had shifted our focus from field to indoor hockey.

“Reuniting with the team felt like a homecoming, filled with memorable moments despite the demanding environment. As we dove into training sessions and competitive games, we quickly found our rhythm together. Having played alongside each other for so long, our chemistry was evident from the moment we stepped onto the court.

“With the Indoor World Cup as our ultimate goal, we faced rigorous practices that tested not only our physical endurance but also our mental resilience. Exhaustion set in, yet we remained focused on our objective, pushing ourselves to give 100%. Ultimately, the training camp proved to be a success, with valuable discussions and insights shaping our preparation for the journey ahead. Together, we are ready to embrace the challenges that lie in wait.”