Grays Ambassador Victor Wegnez talks to us about his recent experience at the Hockey India League, playing for JSW Soorma.
"Playing in the HIL is something unique. First of all, it gives us the opportunity to meet and play with players from other countries! To encounter and embrace an incredible Indian culture. I have to say that the difference between going to India with the national team and playing in the HIL is enormous. With the national team, we're told not to eat anything for fear of getting sick, not to leave the hotel - in short, apart from seeing a hotel, we don't see anything. And then the HIL: the complete opposite. We eat everything, we go out to eat street food with the Indians, we live less in fear, and we simply begin to enjoy an extraordinary experience.
We're staying in more luxurious hotels than with the national team. The only thing I miss is sushi (you can find it, but not everywhere), and a good piece of red meat. 🤪
Then you make friends for life; Indians are so kind, so genuinely good, they want the best for you and expect nothing in return. They are happy with so little and want you to feel at home.
I'm always pleasantly surprised by the professional level of the recovery program. Their physiotherapists are the best, the recovery is fantastic with exercises and methods quite different from what we're used to in Europe. And it feels so good to break out of a routine and experience something unique.
The level of hockey is very good too, very Indian, meaning that at any moment the game can lose its structure and turn into a back-and-forth affair. It's very enjoyable to play in a style of hockey that's perhaps less structured than European hockey and more free-flowing. We play man-to-man; all my life I've only played zone, so it's really cool to try something new. It's sometimes a challenge to understand each other on the field, but that's part of the beauty of the event.
Finally, financially it's a real plus. I earn in one month what I earn in 1.5 years with the national team. This helps me enormously for my future, I am eternally grateful."
Victor uses the Grays DB10 Hockey Stick and AeroCage X Shoes
