DELHI WAVERIDERS is back with its Young Team for Hockey India League 2017
DELHI WAVERIDERS (DWR), the Delhi franchise of the Hockey India League announced its team for the 5th edition of the Hockey India League 2017. This season, the team includes some new faces, namely Austin Smith (South Africa), Manuel Brunet (Argentina), Vincent Vanasch (Belgium) and Vikas Dahiya, Mandip Antil & Pardeep Singh (India).
Under the mentorship of Chief Coach Mr. Cedric D Souza, the team is all set to take on the opponents and prove their mettle on field. The new captain of the team is Rupinder Pal Singh, who is known for his ability as one of the best drag-flicker in the world. Simon Child, the forward player from New Zealand is the Vice Captain. He was a member of the FIH World All Star team in 2009.
Mr. Cedric D Souza, Chief Coach, DELHI WAVERIDERS, said, “With some of the players from last year’s team unavailable, we have done our best to fill in the gaps with top quality players. Training has gone on really well and we definitely are a well-rounded and balanced team. Needless to say we will do our best to continue and maintain our past record of a podium finish with of course the target being the top place. We can expect some high-octane action in the 2017 Hockey India League.”
Capt. J.S. Randhawa, Director, Wave Group, said, “We are proud to be part of the yet another season of Hockey India League. HIL has provided great opportunity to Indian players to rub shoulders with top experienced international stars. This league is a perfect platform to popularize our national game which also syncs with our ambition to take the game to the masses. Our young brigade is talented and I am certain that they will exhibit an impressive performance on the grounds. On behalf of Wave Group, I invite all to come and cheer our players and witness all the live action on the field.”
Under the captaincy of Rupinder Pal Singh, the young team is all set to pump up the excitement on the grounds and would put all their efforts and enthusiasm in winning the League. Rupinder is one of promising talent in the Indian hockey team. He represented India in the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow. He also participated in the 2016 Asian Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy, where India won the Gold. Vice-Captain Simon Child has been a key member of DWR since its inception in 2012. The team includes some promising faces of hockey, 21-year-old Harjeet Singh, the captain of the India’s junior hockey national team, 19-year old Mandeep Singh, who emerged as the rare gem that India unearthed during the World Hockey League 2014.
New international faces include Manuel Brunet, who was part of the 2016 Olympics Gold winning team. Austin Smith competed for South Africa at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, the 2010 and 2014 Hockey World Cups, and at the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games. He has also competed at the 2005, 2009 and 2011 Men’s Champions Challenge. He became captain of the team in 2009.
Vincent Vanasch is a Belgian international field hockey goalkeeper. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed for the national team in the men’s tournament.
The Hockey India League is scheduled to kick start from January 21 and conclude on February 26, 2017 with six teams competing against each other.
