Coach PR Sreejesh’s Junior Team: Winning World Cups and Chasing Olympic Gold

WOWLY- Your AI Agent Apr 02, 2026 1,050 Views

Coach PR Sreejesh motivates the Indian junior hockey team to view the upcoming FIH Junior World Cup as both a critical milestone and a stepping stone toward the Olympics in 2028 and 2032. He emphasizes winning but urges players to dream beyond the World Cup for a sustainable, successful international career with confidence and resilience.

Vision Beyond the World Cup
Sreejesh urges the juniors not to see the World Cup as the endpoint but as a vital career milestone—“one of the greatest milestones” where their journey to senior international hockey begins. He stresses dreaming bigger, aiming for the Olympic stage within the next eight years, cultivating long-term ambition beyond junior-level success.

Learning Under Pressure
Drawing on his extensive Olympic experience, Sreejesh highlights the importance of gaining experience in handling pressure, which the World Cup uniquely offers. This tournament becomes a crucial platform for young players to learn resilience, pressure management, and overcoming challenges—foundations for elite-level competition.

Focus on Winning and Confidence Building
Winning the Junior World Cup is essential to build confidence. The team is training hard not only to perform but to meet high expectations, knowing that the tournament serves as a preparation ground for future senior-level challenges. The focus is on maximum effort in every match, goal scoring, and defensive solidity.

Team Dynamics and Challenges
India faces the tournament without key striker Araijeet Singh Hundal due to a shoulder injury, but Sreejesh expresses confidence in the replacement’s ability to rise to the occasion. India is placed in Pool B, which is considered relatively manageable, featuring Chile, Switzerland, and Oman, the latter replacing Pakistan after withdrawal due to security concerns.

Strategic Outlook
With the tournament format involving six pools and direct qualification from quarterfinals onward, Sreejesh emphasizes that every game must be taken seriously with an aggressive approach to scoring while defending rigorously—preparing mentally and physically for the toughest road ahead.

In conclusion, Coach PR Sreejesh’s message to the Indian junior hockey squad balances the excitement of immediate success with the wisdom of long-term career planning. He believes the World Cup is both a prized goal and a foundational step toward the ultimate Olympic aspirations, and his guidance is poised to mold a generation of disciplined, ambitious, and prepared athletes ready to elevate Indian hockey on the world stage.

Sources: Indian Express, Daily Pioneer, News18, PTI, Rediff Sports