Bengaluru, Dec 11 : At the turn of the century Vandana Katariya was just a kid in Roshnabad who wanted nothing more than to play hockey without any societal hindrances.

After an arduous journey of close to 15 years in the Indian Women's Hockey Team, Vandana is on the verge of being a significant part of history as she readies herself to take the field for Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers in the inaugural Women's Hockey India League early next year.

'It is a very big thing for us that the Women's HIL is finally starting. There is a buzz in camp as all players are looking forward to enjoying this experience and playing hockey at a high level. We are all hoping that the Women's HIL will be a big success and garner as much attention as the Men's HIL. And we are beyond excited and cannot thank Hockey India enough for making this happen,' she expressed.

Vandana is a veteran of 317 appearances for the Indian Women's Hockey Team and has scored 158 goals during this course. She was also an integral part of the team that, despite all odds, finished fourth at the Tokyo 2022 Olympics. Yet, the thought of playing in the HIL has ignited a fire in her belly and Vandana credits this to the impact the HIL has had on the Indian men's hockey team.

'In the previous editions, the Men's team got a chance to mingle with international players, raise their confidence levels and as everyone can see it has helped the team immensely and they are getting medals on a consistent basis now. I expect the same effect when the Women's HIL begins with four teams this year. This will be a good opportunity for players who could not make the cut for the National Camp to showcase their potential and grow under different coaches. It will also help strengthen the conveyor belt of talent coming into the Indian Women's Hockey Team,' Vandana explained.

"When the HIL was running for the Men previously, I used to watch those matches and dream that I would one day play in a league like this. I cannot believe it is a reality now and we are just over a month away from starting the league. The Women's Team is looking at it as an opportunity to showcase our potential. Playing with the best players in the world will undoubtedly improve our performance and confidence," she added.

In addition to Vandana, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers have a strong Indian core comprising Udita, Lalremsiami, Beauty Dungdung, Mahima Choudhary and Sushila Chanu. She will also share the dressing room with Olympic Bronze medallist Fiona Crackles and Grace Stewart, a three time Olympian from Australia. They also have a few young Indian prospects on the team like Jyothi Edula, Mumuni Das and Lalrinpuii.

'The Women's HIL is a chance for me to show my capabilities so that I can maintain my place in the Indian Team but as a forward, I will concentrate equally on building good chemistry with all the players on the team. The League is also bound to take a few players out of their shells and make them more comfortable. T

"This experience will also shed light on areas for improvement for all players, both international and Indian. It will also be interesting to play against teammates who have known you for years and are aware of all your habits. But most importantly we will look to put on a good team performance, improve throughout the season and do our best to win the league," the 32 year old signed off.

/IANS