As the final stages of the current FIH Hockey Pro League season approach (starting from 13 June), let us hear from the participating teams. Today, Xantal Gine, captain of the Spanish women’s side — "The Red Sticks" — shares her thoughts.
How is the team approaching these two Pro League stages in Rotterdam and London?
We are excited and highly motivated to come together again with the national team for this second Pro League window. I think we performed very well during the first window (Valencia and Australia), and now we want to maintain that level, continue delivering strong performances and keep adding points.
The Pro League comes at an important stage ahead of the World Cup. What do you expect from this preparation period?
We are fully aware that the best preparation we can have before the World Cup is competing in this second Pro League window. That is why we want to push ourselves to the maximum and gain positive competitive feelings and confidence. We will also have three weeks before the start of the World Cup to complete our preparation and arrive in the best possible condition.
The squad combines highly experienced players with younger athletes who are pushing hard for their place. As captain, how do you build that connection within the team?
I believe that having this mix of experienced and younger players is giving us an extra edge as a team. The senior players try to pass on the importance of professionalism and commitment in everything we do, while the younger players bring enthusiasm, energy and a fighting spirit that we also need. We have a very healthy and competitive group, full of ambition, that always puts the national team above any personal situation or commitment. That is what makes us the family we are today.
Spanish women’s hockey has been growing and establishing itself among the world’s top teams for several years. Do you think this group still has room to surprise people and take another step forward?
Without any doubt. In fact, I think many people are still surprised by how much Spain has improved in such a short period of time. The players want to keep growing, the coaching staff wants to keep growing, and the Federation wants us to continue improving and is fully committed to that goal. As I mentioned before, our priority is the national team, and we would love to see Spain reach the very top of world hockey in the future.
