Vandana Katariya: Our minds are always on the pitch

The 28-year-old forward also spoke on her side's crowdfunding enterprise to raise 20 lakhs Rupees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indian women's field hockey forward Vandana Katariya has explained that the national team is focusing on various aspects of the game that makes a side successful during the ongoing nationwide lockdown. She also indicated that the players are working on sustaining their fitness levels so that they manage to adapt back to the sport more conveniently upon their return.

“Obviously the main thing for all of us is always to play hockey on the field, but this time has given us the chance to focus on other key factors which make a team so successful,” she said.

“We haven't been able to be on the pitch, but our minds are always on the pitch. We are trying to maintain our fitness levels as best as we can, so that when we are back, we are sharper than our opponents,” Vandana Katariya continued.

Moreover, she emphasized that the players along with the coaching staff are going through many video footages currently. The 28-year-old believes that this exercise could turn out to be very beneficial for the team. She also stressed on the importance of having mindfulness during this pandemic. Apparently, the chief coach Sjoerd Marijne has been very vocal about the same too.

The women’s team had come together to raise ₹20 lakhs amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted the country. This amount is now being used to feed more than 1000 families. Accordingly, Vandana Katariya also spoke on this humanitarian act committed by her group. “We feel we are at a stature where we can end up helping other people too which we did through our crowdfunding initiative, and we are of course also lucky to have such great facilities at our disposal,” she mentioned.

“We understand that not many people are blessed with this, and therefore it is a chance for us to make full use of what we have,” she further expressed.

Vandana Katariya also seemed to be delighted over the response garnered by this crowdfunding enterprise. “We are hopeful that the situation improves soon,” the athlete concluded.