"VAN" (Sports Desk - 30.11.2025) :: With less than 24 hours remaining until the start of the 11th edition of the FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup, which will take place in City of Santiago, Chile, here are the latest quotes from the participating teams:
Tim White, Head Coach Belgium
“The Young Red Panthers have prepared thoroughly and are eager to get started. This World Cup will be an important opportunity to measure ourselves against the best teams in the world. With several players already having gained experience with the Red Panthers, we’re setting ambitious goals — including aiming for a podium finish.”
Azaylee Philander, Captain Namibia
We know we are in a tough pool with strong countries such as Germany and India, but our goal is clear; we’re aiming to place 3rd in our pool and secure out spot in the group stages. We’re putting in the work, staying focused and ready to fight for every point.
Tushar Khandker, Head Coach India
This is a new generation of players who believe in themselves and in the process. The Junior World Cup will be a stage to showcase their character, skill, and determination. Our aim is to play with purpose and consistency — every match, every moment — and continue building a strong pathway for women’s hockey in India.
Nur Shamine Azureen Bt Mohammad Badusha, Captain Malaysia
We are very excited to compete in the Junior World Cup. We will try our best to give our opponents a hard time.
Seoyeon Park, Captain Korea
“I believe this tournament will be an opportunity not only for me personally but also for our entire team to take another step forward.
Competing against strong teams on the world stage won’t be easy, but rather than being afraid, I want to approach it with a spirit of challenge.
We hope to be remembered as a Korean team that grows and gives our best effort in every single match.”
Alyssa Klebasko, Captain USA
"We have been working hard to prepare for the Junior World Cup over the past two years, and are really thrilled with the progress we have made as a team, especially coming off of two second place finishes at the Junior Pan American Championship in 2024 and the Junior Pan American Games in 2025. Our roster has a great mix of experienced and young players, and we are looking forward to competing against the best teams in the world with the goal of earning a spot on the podium for the first time in history."
Noor van den Nieuwenhof, Captain Netherlands
“We expect a super nice tournament with lots of strong countries and great matches. We will wear our orange shirts with pride and do everything we can to defend our title.”
Betsan Thomas, Captain Wales
"I am incredibly honoured to be selected as Captain of such an extremely talented squad of players. We are an exciting group of young players, and we are heading to Chile with the intention of putting Welsh Hockey on the map. We are ready to make our country proud, together!"
Georgina West, Player Australia
“We're all trying to be great people but also push each other to be great players on the pitch as well, so we’re really excited to see what we can achieve together in Chile. And the goal of a gold medal at the junior World Cup would be amazing”
Katharina Proksch, Captain Austria
"We feel very honoured to take part in the Junior World Cup and to have another opportunity to compete against the best nations in the world. This is a unique experience for our small hockey nation Austria and we are really looking forward to this exciting event."
Tinodiwanashe Elijah, Captain Zimbabwe
“We are a nation rich in spirit and full of heart, and we’re ready to show the world that Zimbabwean hockey is fearless, passionate, and full of promise.”
Connie Roxburgh, Captain Scotland
The whole squad have put in massive amounts of work over the past few months and we are incredibly excited to show what Scotland can do on the world stage. The World Cup is a brilliant opportunity for us to test ourselves against some of the top ranked nations and we are looking to make our mark in the tournament, putting in performances that reflect our hard work and passion.
Ohtsuka Minami, Captain Japan
“We will fight tenaciously, never forgetting our gratitude and carrying the pride of representing Japan in our hearts.”
Amy Handcock, Captain Ireland
"We are all really excited to be a part of this tournament, it's a great opportunity for us to test ourselves against the best. We as players and our coaches have worked really hard in preparation for this tournament, and this gives us the chance to show how much we’ve developed as a team. It's such a great opportunity to represent Ireland at this Junior World Cup."
Emma Findlay, Captain New Zealand
“Can’t wait to represent New Zealand at my second Junior World Cup, we’ve got a strong, exciting group and I’m confident we can make an impact on the world stage.”
Esther Canales, Captain Spain
“We’re incredibly excited to represent our country at the World Cup. Coming off the European Championship, where we finished as runners-up, we’ve worked even harder to take the next step. Our team has grown stronger, both on and off the field, and we’re ready to show our best version.”
Jakob Cyrus, Coach Germany
“The anticipation for the World Cup is huge. The final preparations are underway and you can tell that everyone is really looking forward to the adventure in Chile. We are highly motivated and can hardly wait. It is very special for us to meet nations from all over the world at a World Cup. We are particularly looking forward to that.”
Ane Janse van Vuuren, Captain South Africa
The Junior World Cup is a special opportunity for us to learn, challenge ourselves, and showcase the future of South African hockey. We're excited to embrace every moment and test ourselves against the best.
Juana Castellaro, Captain Argentina
The team has been training with dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm, seeking our best version for the tournament. We are eagerly awaiting the start, staying focused on our work and enjoying the process.
Laura Müller, Captain Chile
Our expectation for the tournament is always to take Chile as high as possible, to play on equal terms with any opponents we face, and, of course, to put on an incredible show for all the local fans who come to support us.
Sienna Dunn, Captain England
"I am absolutely honoured to be selected for the Junior World Cup, and I am really excited to see what we can do out there. I think we have a really special team this year in that we have a lot of experienced players like Lottie Bingham who is in the senior centralised programme but we also have a lot of younger exciting players who I can bring a lot to this team."
Katie Gibb, Captain Canada
We are looking forward to the opportunity to compete, learn and grow at the Junior World Cup. We are fortunate that much of our team has experience playing in South America through the 2023 Junior World Cup and both senior and junior Pan Am Games. More than anything we are excited for the challenge and the opportunity to represent our country.
Hao Guoting, Captain China
As the grand event of the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup unfolds, we march toward Chile with passion and hope. May we foster friendship through competition—respecting opponents in every clash, conveying sincerity in every handshake, and letting the passion of athletics coexist with the warmth of friendship! May friendship and glory shine brightly together at the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup！
Sol Myszka, Captain Uruguay
We are so happy to be here! This is the second time Uruguay has qualified for a World Cup in its history. We are sure this is going to be an amazing experience, and we are going to learn a lot. We want to represent Uruguay the best we can!
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