The Belgium women’s national team has been training since August for the return to elite competition, with national team training sessions taking place three times a week.
The Red Panthers were spectators as their men’s team, the Red Lions strode to Olympic glory at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Now it is the turn of the women to take to centre stage as the FIH Hockey Pro League resumes action with a curtain raiser between Netherlands and Belgium.
Emma Puvrez is an established member of the team with 145 international caps. She is relishing the opportunity to test her team’s strengths and qualities against the new Olympic champions the Netherlands.
Head coach to the Red Panthers Raoul Ehrens has had a year with the team and Puvrez says his strategies and ideas are quickly becoming embedded within the team’s culture.
“We have been with our new coach for a year. You can expect to see creative, fast, attacking hockey from the Belgian team, “says Puvrez. “We will keep building on those strengths and we are still working on strictures and tactics so those will develop over time.
“The team wants to get better and better and, with Raoul, he gives us the belief that we can get there. A few years ago we were playing ‘not to lose’ but now we are really going for it and we believe, every single time, that we can win those games.”
Puvrez says the victory of the men’s Belgium team at the Olympic Games has acted as a source of inspiration. “We look to them, and we are learning some thing from them because we are following the same trajectory. But, of course, we are our own team.
“At the moment, if a Red Lion walks down the street, people will know who they are. That is not the case with us, but that is changing and recognition is coming.”
The Belgium women’s team is relishing the prospect of facing the Olympic champions, says Puvrez. “It is good to put yourselves up against the very best so you can see where you are. It will be a very exciting experience, particularly in front of a Dutch crowd, who always make a great atmosphere. This time they will be even noisier because they will be welcoming their team as Olympic champions for the first time.”
Puvrez says the FIH Hockey Pro League season is a brilliant opportunity for the team to test itself against the very best in the world. And ambitions are high in the camp – whatever the result on Wednesday, the aim for this Red Panthers team is a top three finish.
Watch the full interview on Watch.Hockey.
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