Asian Games 2023: Mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton to work with Indian Men's Hockey Team

Hockey India has enlisted the services of mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton, renowned for his work with the Indian cricket team, to assist the national men's hockey team ahead of their crucial campaigns in the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asian Games. Upton will conduct a series of three mental conditioning sessions, commencing on Saturday at the ongoing National Coaching Camp for the Indian men's core group in SAI, Bengaluru.

Expressing his gratitude, Upton stated, "I am honoured to be given this opportunity to work with Hockey India and the Indian Men's Hockey Team. I have witnessed the tremendous growth of Indian hockey in recent years, and I am excited to contribute to the team's success by enhancing their mental resilience and psychological skill set. Together, we will work towards achieving the highest level of performance and excellence."

Upton brings a wealth of experience, having played a pivotal role as part of Gary Kirsten's core coaching staff that helped India secure the ODI World Cup after 28 years in 2011. With over two decades of experience working with professional athletes and teams across various sports, Upton has guided the Indian cricket team to the top spot in the Test rankings for the first time and contributed to the South African cricket team's achievement of simultaneously holding the World No. 1 ranking in all three formats of the game.

Not limited to cricket, Upton has provided mental training workshops to various sports teams, including the South African men's hockey team, Australian men's hockey team, Indian Super League sides FC Goa and FC Hyderabad, and the England men's Rugby team. His expertise extends to working with IPL franchises like Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) and Rajasthan Royals.

Dilip Tirkey, the President of Hockey India, emphasized the significance of mental conditioning in the team's preparations for major tournaments, especially the Asian Games, where Olympic qualification will be at stake. He expressed delight in having Paddy Upton on board to help the team build mental toughness and effectively manage pressure and expectations.

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