The FIH Hockey Pro League second season gets underway in January 2020 after a hugely successful first edition. We caught up with the coaches and players from the participating teams as they prepare for the new look FIH Hockey Pro League season to get underway. In the following interview, China’s captain and stalwart defender Cui Qiuxia looks ahead to the forthcoming season.
China (FIH World Ranking: 10) finished the 2019 FIH Hockey Pro League season in seventh position. The Asian giants will begin their FIH Hockey Pro League campaign with a home fixture against the world number one team and reigning champions, the Netherlands on 11 January 2020.
What message have you got for the fans to get them along to watch the matches in the second season?
Cui Qiuxia: “I am the captain of China and I want all our fans to come along to the matches and support us. The FIH Hockey Pro League is a really exciting tournament and you will all enjoy a great sporting experience.”
What did you learn from the first season of the FIH Hockey Pro League and how will you prepare for this season?
Cui Qiuxia: “We learnt a lot from the first season. How to prepare the team for a number of important matches over six months and often travelling a long distance to play just one match. It is a long season and I think the second season will be even more exciting. We will train hard and prepare for the season thoroughly.”
What are the team’s ambitions for this second season?
Cui Qiuxia: “In the first season we didn’t play to our expectations and hopefully, in this second season, we will perform better.”
What are your thoughts on the new FIH Hockey Pro League format that will be introduced in the second season?
Cui Qiuxia: “The new format will be better, it will reduce the time spent travelling which generally made the team tired. So this new format, I am sure, will help us prepare for matches better and get better results.”
Which fixture are you most looking forward to and why?
Cui Qiuxia: “I am looking forward to our first game [against the Netherlands] because it will be the first test for the players. And also, there will some activity zones to enjoy and provide fun for the hockey fans outside of the match.”
What was your #MyProLeagueMoment from the first season?
Cui Qiuxia: “My best moment was when I scored [against Germany] from a penalty corner to help the team win the match.”
Re-live the first edition of the FIH Pro League on www.fihproleague.com and www.fih.live!
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