"We are hopeful that Indian team will do well in Asian Games": Former hockey captain Rani Rampal 

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], August 19 (ANI): Former women's hockey captain Rani Rampal on Saturday wished the squad of women's hockey team for the Asian Games. 
Hockey India on Friday announced the formation of a 40-member Women’s Sub-Junior Core Group for a National Coaching Camp where Rani would serve as a mentor and Coach. 
"Indian teams are doing great, Asian Games have always been an important tournament for us in terms of the qualification for the Olympics, we are hopeful that the Indian team will do well in the Asian Games and will qualify for the Olympics," Rani told ANI. 
After being excluded from the squad for the Asian games, Rani said, "Hockey is my love and passion and it will be. As Hockey gave me a lot, it gave me an identity and respect, so wherever you are you miss the ground but wherever you are you need to do something for the game, I am working here for young children." 
The former hockey player said that players should have a 'Never give up' attitude to keep moving forward. 
"I always feel that you need to do hard work and you should have a 'Never give up' attitude and l also have that, believe in yourself as you only can do your job, results not in your hand, stay positive so you can see life with a good perspective and whatever opportunities you got avail them and keep moving," she further added. 
"The performance of the India Hockey team (both men & women's) in the Tokyo Olympics has inspired most of the young players in the county that if they play hockey then they also can achieve this something as playing in the Olympics for the country is everyone dream, I hope we will see many of them playing for the country in future." 
"I have also been inspired by the Indian Women's team's gold medal victory in the 2004 Asian Games in New Delhi," Rani added. 
Former Indian Women’s team captain Rani held special women's strikers camp in Bhubaneswar, talking about the experience she said "I came here for a coaching session to the Junior and Sub Junior strikers, It is a chance for me to share my knowledge, skills and experience to these young players in Odisha, there are many talented girls here, they want to learn the new skills and they have very bright future.
It's a good experience for me also, as it reminds me of my childhood days, how I have learned and the kind of excitement is there at that age to learn, I am hopeful they will work on the skills and use them so India can get more good players in future."
Rani also shared her thoughts on the sports ecosystem in Odisha and the large number of girls coming up to play hockey. She said, "The credit goes to the Odisha Government that they have created the kind of facilities here for children, that you can only get when you play for India or other big tournaments but here 15-year children are getting that, in the high-performance centres they getting every facility here including education."
"It is good that a large number of girls are coming to play hockey and along with the boys they are also getting more focus, the Indian team has inspired most of these girls to play Hockey." (ANI)