BHUBANESWAR: Far from all the limelight, playing a major role in Belgium’s tremendous success in recent years in the world of hockey is their video analyst Emily Calderon.
From helping the Red Lions win the World Cup in 2018 to winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics, Calderon has helped Shane McLeod conquer the world. Now working with new Belgium coach Michel van den Heuvel, she is preparing more glory for the team at the World Cup here where Belgium are already in the quarter-finals.
From recording all the matches Belgium and their opponents are playing to sending live suggestions, she does it all. “During the game I can send images to an iPad on the bench so the coach can get a view behind the goal of the positions. He can then make changes if needed or confirm what we have planned,” wrote Calderon to YOU.
However, his biggest involvement comes as the team prepares to defend penalty corners.
“Looking at all the opponents’ previous picks, we try to predict what the next call will be. I work very closely with Vincent Vanasch (Belgian goalkeeper) giving him all the information he needs to prepare well. The day before a big match, we want to feel ready for every situation,” she said.
While PC conversion rates have indeed declined, Belgium’s recent record in PC defense has been prodigious.
In the three World Cup matches so far, they have conceded eight goals but allowed no goals of their own. In the previous four Pro League games they conceded 5 CP and allowed 2 goals, and in the Olympics they allowed only two goals in 18 CP. While PCs remain key, she also helps with all “fixed games, general releases, and pressing models.” But whatever she does, she has to be fast because teams usually play games a day apart in a tournament and that’s where her job becomes a real challenge.
“Above all, I try to make the coaches’ work more efficient. As we often play within 48 hours, time is very precious. To do this, everything is coded exactly the same so they always know where to find what. And I create databases per year for penalty corners, goals, penalty kicks and individual skills,” the analyst said.
Apart from the national team, Calderon also works with Belgian club Waterloo Ducks and helped them win the European Hockey League in 2019 as complete underdogs. Despite all her hard work, she is well aware that it all comes down to the players in the end and she just couldn’t appreciate them enough.
“The best thing about hockey is that the players put in a lot of work. Players will watch their own games and their opponents, and prepare themselves for penalty corners and penalty shootouts,” she added.
From helping the Red Lions win the World Cup in 2018 to winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics, Calderon has helped Shane McLeod conquer the world. Now working with new Belgium coach Michel van den Heuvel, she is preparing more glory for the team at the World Cup here where Belgium are already in the quarter-finals.
From recording all the matches Belgium and their opponents are playing to sending live suggestions, she does it all. “During the game I can send images to an iPad on the bench so the coach can get a view behind the goal of the positions. He can then make changes if needed or confirm what we have planned,” wrote Calderon to YOU.
However, his biggest involvement comes as the team prepares to defend penalty corners.
“Looking at all the opponents’ previous picks, we try to predict what the next call will be. I work very closely with Vincent Vanasch (Belgian goalkeeper) giving him all the information he needs to prepare well. The day before a big match, we want to feel ready for every situation,” she said.
While PC conversion rates have indeed declined, Belgium’s recent record in PC defense has been prodigious.
In the three World Cup matches so far, they have conceded eight goals but allowed no goals of their own. In the previous four Pro League games they conceded 5 CP and allowed 2 goals, and in the Olympics they allowed only two goals in 18 CP. While PCs remain key, she also helps with all “fixed games, general releases, and pressing models.” But whatever she does, she has to be fast because teams usually play games a day apart in a tournament and that’s where her job becomes a real challenge.
“Above all, I try to make the coaches’ work more efficient. As we often play within 48 hours, time is very precious. To do this, everything is coded exactly the same so they always know where to find what. And I create databases per year for penalty corners, goals, penalty kicks and individual skills,” the analyst said.
Apart from the national team, Calderon also works with Belgian club Waterloo Ducks and helped them win the European Hockey League in 2019 as complete underdogs. Despite all her hard work, she is well aware that it all comes down to the players in the end and she just couldn’t appreciate them enough.
“The best thing about hockey is that the players put in a lot of work. Players will watch their own games and their opponents, and prepare themselves for penalty corners and penalty shootouts,” she added.
