Tim White keen on using individual personality to build 'team first' mentality

Tim White believes in being a coach who connects with the players as people for bringing idiosyncrasies together to achieve a common goal.

Bengaluru: The junior national women's camp has the current 40 best hockey-playing girls from the nook and cranny of the country gathered at the Sports Authority of India in Bengaluru. For each youngster in the training programme, mostly in their teens, it is more than just developing an elite-level skillset. The camp will also lean heavily on building a 'team first' mentality by utilising every individual's unique personality. 

That is the foundation on which Tim White, the newly appointed head coach of the junior Indian women's hockey team, wants to build a world-class squad. 

"At the moment I have 40 players. I've never coached a group this big. So it is challenging," the Australian, who coached the Belgium under-21 women's team before arriving in India, tells DH. 

"The good part is that the girls are so grateful (for the opportunity), and they really want to learn. And even though I'm an English-speaking male from another part of the world, there's already a very good connection between the group and me," offers White, who replaced former India international Tushar Khandekar for the role over a fortnight ago. 

White believes in being a coach who connects with the players as people for bringing idiosyncrasies together to achieve a common goal. 

"The first thing is I want everyone in the group to feel comfortable and express themselves freely. I don't want 20 robots all the same. I want them to show their personalities. I want every player who's here to make sure that they continually understand what they're good at. 

"Along with this, it's about playing 'team first' hockey. When they step onto the pitch, it's about thinking 'How can I help others be better?'. What I've seen from this Indian group, so far, is that they are caring. They do look after each other. I'm confident that they will want to play for each other."

One of the key components to achieve such an ideal case scenario, which is easier said than done, is good communication among players and coaching staff, both on and off the field. Without denying the fact, White emphasises that communication isn't always only about bridging language barriers. 

"Let's say they are a few quieter ones in the group. They're not as boisterous as some of the others and I don't want to be a coach who changes that. I think, we have to value one's individuality. And we need to recognise that even though this person is quieter and just goes about her business, she has strengths that other people don't have," explains the Aussie.

White says his focus is on making 'attacking play with strong defence' as the team's identity. But how does he describe this?

"A lot of young people think that the more important part of the game is when they have the ball. But if we can be an aggressive pressing team when we don't have the ball, be in good shape, good structure and then look to win the balls and manipulate opposition teams, for me, that's aggressive. That's actually dictating play. Then, what does one do when we do win the ball? It's very important we become a good transition team."

Another aspect the experienced coach stresses is working closely with senior women's head coach Sjoerd Marijne and making it a collaborative effort for the overall development of women's hockey. 

"I would not want to come here if the junior team is on one island and the senior team's on another. I'll forever be learning as a coach. So I'll learn from Sjoerd. I'm also going to keep a close watch on the sub-juniors (under-18). 

"A perfect programme is one which provides for long-term success, not just success in the World Cup or in Asian Games or in the (2028) LA Olympics. I wouldn't have taken the role if I didn't feel I was part of something bigger," signs off White.