The New Indian Express ·
Wayne's world: Fitter and better
BENGALURU: WITHIN the first two months of Wayne Lombard's reintroduction back into the women's hockey programme late last year, the head of athletic performance wanted the players to understand their bodies better. So, he ensured a session between the players and two gynaecologists.
The South African picks up the story. "It wasn't a behind-closed-doors session where none of us male staff were there, we did it in January, I think," he tells this daily in a call from Japan. "They (the players) were able to ask as many questions as possible about anything relating to female physiology, anatomy, etc., etc. I think that was a really good call -- I'm assuming here because I wasn't part of the meeting obviously -- but I think that it was good for the girls to come out and ask questions that they might not want to ask in a public environment where there are other male coaches around or something. And I think that was a good thing."
In isolation, it may not sound like a major thing. But this is one of the many things Lombard, who began his second innings with the women's hockey team after Sjoerd Marijne was reappointed at the fag-end of last year, has helped institute. All of these changes -- some of them revealed for the first time -- is what has helped them become unlikely contenders to win gold at upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The gold carries a greater prize too: automatic spot in the 2028 Games at Los Angeles.
