Tomorrow, the inaugural season for the Women’s Hockey India League will commence with a fixture featuring the Delhi SG Pipers and the Odisha Warriors.
The Hockey India League’s women’s competition is a product of a long process of progression involving both genders on the Indian subcontinent. This especially goes for the women, who gained fans, attention, and sponsor interest after a memorable run at the Tokyo Olympics.
HIL is also taking a page from the Indian Premier League, the wildly successful monthlong cricket competition which has been replicated worldwide, including in the United States. Unlike their cricketing bretheren, the Hockey India League plaplays to standard international rules laid out by the FIH for Test matches.
The four women’s sides were assembled through an auction of top players from India and worldwide, with at least two Americans as part of the action. Jenny Rizzo, a goalkeeper late of Penn State, will be on the roster of the Shrachi Rahr Bengal Tigers, joining U.S. Olympic captain Ashley Hoffman on the Bengals.
But each of the four sides have amazing players from around the world, as well as athletes from the Indian women’s side which played for bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.
It’s hard to get any angle on how well these teams will jell over the course of the six-game regular season. In a game in which goals are rare, getting off to a good start is key, so the first few days of competition are critical to long-term success.
Here’s a look at the four teams:
SHRACHI RAHR BENGAL TIGERS
Players to watch: Ashley Hoffman (D), Udita Duhan (D), Lalremsiami Hmar Zote (F/M), Roisin Upton (D), Jenny Rizzo (G), Grace O’Hanlon (G), Vandana Katariya (F)
The big question: The Bengals have, on paper, the best defense in the competition, The question is, who is going to score? Duhan and Hoffman are likely to be asked to be the corner specialists for this side, and Katariya is the team’s most-capped player for Team India.
SOORMA HOCKEY CLUB
Players to watch: Savita Punia (G), Charlotte Stapenhorst (F), Preeti (D), Salima Tete (MD), Sophie Hamilton (M), Amanpreet Kaur (F)
The big question: In a team with a core of great players from India, will the team simply give the ball to Stapenhorst in the final third and get out of the way?
DELHI SG PIPERS
Players to watch: Stephanie de Groof (D), Lily Owsley (M), Navneet Kaur (F), Preeti Dubey (F), Charlotte Watson (F), Deepita (F), Jyoti Singh (D)
The big question: How well will this team play once it gets the lead? Dave Smolenaars is a very tactical coach and will rely on Stephanie de Groof in defensive midfield to park the bus. Preeti Dubey is a great story, having come off a broken ankle in the runup to Rio 2016 and has seemingly made it all the way back to top form.
ODISHA WARRIORS
Players to watch: Neha Goyal (M), Yibbi Jansen (D), Deep Grace Ekka (D), Jocelyn Bartram (G), Frekke Moes (F), Kaitlin Nobbs (M)
The big question: A lot is going to be asked of the team’s Australian imports, especially Bartram, who has been a stalwart for the Hockeyroos. The defensive line is going to rival that of the Bengal Tigers as the best in the league. And if there’s one person who is going to want to stamp her impact on the league, it’s Warriors head coach Janneke Schopman. She had a hand in getting Jansen, the Dutch dragflicker, in the player auction.