Hockey India Appoints French Star Frederic Soyez as Junior Team Coach

In a significant reshuffle, Hockey India on Thursday unveiled Frederic Soyez, a French coaching maestro, as the head coach for the junior men's national hockey team. The appointment fills the void left by PR Sreejesh, whose tenure ended in December 2025. Soyez brings a treasure trove of experience from European hockey circuits. A formidable player for France over 15 years, he amassed 195 goals in 196 caps between 1995 and 2010. His coaching journey is adorned with accolades: leading Spain to a 2019 European Championship silver and quarterfinal finishes at Rio and Tokyo Olympics, followed by coaching France at Paris 2024. Notable achievements include securing a groundbreaking silver medal for France at the 2013 Junior World Cup hosted in Delhi and recently steering the French U18 side to silver at the 2025 European Championships. His role as High-Performance Director for French Hockey from 2021-2024 further cements his reputation in nurturing young talent. This move resonates with India's ambitious 2036 Olympic roadmap, emphasizing self-reliance and top-tier global resources. Hockey India emphasized that importing experts like Soyez is key to fortifying the national hockey ecosystem. As the junior team embarks on this exciting chapter, expectations are sky-high for Soyez to mold the next generation of Indian hockey stars.