~ His support staff includes Dr. Wayne Lombard, the scientific advisor to the famous 4e place finishing ~
New Delhi, January 2, 2026: Hockey India announced on Friday the appointment of Sjoerd Marijne as head coach of the Indian women’s hockey team. The Dutchman returns to the Indian line-up after a historic performance at the Tokyo Olympics when the team finished fourthe in only their second appearance at the quadrennial event in more than 36 years.
Marijne is supported by Matias Vila as Analytical Coach. Vila is a former Argentina midfielder who made his international debut in 1997 and competed for Argentina at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He has been involved in coaching for the past twenty years.
Also Dr. Wayne Lombard returns to the Indian hockey scene, as Scientific Advisor and Head of Athletic Performance. He will be supported by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, both in the role of Scientific Advisor.
On his return to India, after a historic period between 2017 and 2021 that saw the Indian women’s team rise in the world rankings and reach the top 10, Marijne said: “It’s great to be back. After 4.5 years, I return with fresh energy and a clear vision to support the growth of the team and help the players reach their full potential on the world stage.”
Marijne’s first big challenge as Chief Coach will be the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, Telangana from March 8 to 14, 2026. Marijne will arrive in India on March 14.e January, while the National Coaching Camp starts on 19e January at SAI, Bengaluru.
Speaking about his appointment, Dr. Dilip Tirkey, Chairman, Hockey India, said: “We welcome Sjoerd Marijne and the entire support staff to the Indian hockey family. We express our gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for expediting the appointment to ensure that the team’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers are not hampered. Emphasis has been placed on the fitness of the team, which was one of the key reasons for the Indian Historic achievement for women in Tokyo We look forward to a fruitful period.”
Secretary General of Hockey India, Shri Bhola Nath Singh, reflected similar views and said, “We wish Sjoerd Marijne and the rest of the support staff all the best in their endeavours. Sjoerd understands the team, many players in the core group have already played under him. We now expect this team to perform well, especially with the Asian Games on the horizon and the World Cup qualifier.”