Kalinga Lancers appoint Pascal Kina as technical and strategy coach ahead of HIL season

New Delhi [India], September 22 (ANI): Kalinga Lancers announced the appointment of Belgian coach Pascal Kina as Technical & Strategy Coach ahead of the new Hockey India League season.

Pascal will join the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers’ revamped coaching staff, which includes Australian legend Jay Stacy as the team’s new Head Coach, as per a press release from Vedanta Kalinga Lancers.

The 57-year-old, father of Tokyo 2020 Olympics and 2018 World Champion Antoine Kina, brings over two decades of coaching experience. Throughout his career, he has worked with several international men’s and women’s teams, in addition to leading top hockey clubs in Belgium.

In the early stages of his career, Kina served as Assistant Coach of the Belgium men’s team from 1998 to 2007. He then took charge as Head Coach of the Belgium women’s team, leading them at the London 2012 Olympics and continuing in the role until 2015. He later coached Canada’s women’s team and went on to serve as Assistant Coach of the South Africa women’s team during the Paris 2024 Olympics.

On the Belgian club circuit, Kina has built an impressive track record. He was Head Coach of Waterloo Ducks Hockey Club before moving to Gantoise HC, where he led both the men’s and women’s teams to multiple notable victories. Among his recent achievements, he guided Gantoise HC to the Euro Hockey League FINAL8 Men’s 2025 title and secured a third consecutive Belgian Hockey League championship. Most recently, he served as Assistant Coach of the Belgium men’s team at the EuroHockey Championships 2025 in Monchengladbach.

Welcoming him on board, Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “We are delighted to welcome Pascal Kina to the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers family. His extensive international and club-level coaching experience, combined with a proven track record, makes him a valuable addition to our coaching staff. Together with our new Head Coach, Jay Stacy, we believe Pascal will play a key role not only in building a robust squad but also in strengthening the team’s tactical and technical capabilities.

Speaking about his new role, Kina expressed, “I am excited to join the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers as Technical and Strategy Coach. It is a wonderful opportunity to come to India and work with a fantastic franchise based in Odisha, a place where hockey culture runs deep. I look forward to collaborating with Jay Stacy and the players to build a strong and competitive team for the new season. I am also eager to see how the auction unfolds and to get started with the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers.”

The Kalinga Lancers finished in sixth spot in the revamped Hockey India League earlier this year, having won four and lost six in 10 matches. (ANI)

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