Punia, who is working at the very grassroots of Indian women\u2019s football, has coached the Dadra and Nagar Haveli team to glory at the Junior Girl\u2019s National Football Championship (NFC) and led the Haryana senior women\u2019s side to the runner-up spot at the 2023-34 Senior Women\u2019s NFC.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Having spent most of his coaching career working with the talent pool in Indian women\u2019s football, Punia spoke to IANS on how the senior women\u2019s team scripted history and the impact of head coach Crispin Chhetri.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"They have completed the Indian Women\u2019s League second tier. Indian Arrows qualified for the senior team with a small group of Under-17 girls. Since the IWL started, the number of matches has increased\u2014with games in IWL and the senior nationals\u2014giving them a solid season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"In this tournament, we have Crispin Chettri, the coach of Odisha FC. He was also the head coach of Odisha\u2019s IWL team and is well-connected with the players. He knows their playing styles, having seen them firsthand during the tournament.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"This qualification is a small step, but it's not the end. We are aiming for the World Cup. I am 201% sure we will qualify in the women\u2019s category within the next 3\u20134 years, based on how they\u2019re performing now,\u201d Ravi Kumar Punia told IANS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With a \u2018play to win attitude', an attribute the coach believes he got from his home state of Haryana, Punia plays a counter-attacking style of football, with 4-3-3 as his preferred formation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After injuries hampered his playing days, Punia opened up on the difficulty he had accepting that he needed to move into coaching. \"It is very difficult for every sportsman to shift their profession because they can\u2019t accept it. I still don\u2019t accept it and continue playing in the local Rajasthan League to this day, despite having several injuries; it was very difficult, but I still did it,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After suffering a devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury, Ravi shifted his focus to coaching. He went on to reveal the path which saw him shift into women's football and talked about the relentless grind from coaching different teams, as it does not allow him to get an off-season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I started coaching after my ACL injury in Bangalore. I recovered for about 2\u20132.5 months. Then, the Dadar and Nagar Haveli team called me for the Santosh Trophy, where I joined the senior men\u2019s team as assistant coach.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"After one match, the secretary asked me to take charge of the girls' team. We won one match and lost two, but I requested a proper camp. He agreed, and with that preparation, we became champions of the Under-17 Nationals in Assam, Guwahati\u2014the first time Dadar and Nagar Haveli participated and won.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"After that, I joined Rajasthan United as a coach. Then came opportunities from Haryana\u2019s sub-junior team and from HOPS FC. Gradually, I began working with both state teams and clubs. For the past four years, I\u2019ve consistently coached in the sub-junior, junior, and senior women's nationals. After nationals, I move straight into the IWL\u2014there\u2019s no real off-season,\" said Punia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the 2024-25 season, Ravi Kumar Punia could not be part of HOPS because he was involved in the National Games but he joined Rajasthan United as an assistant coach.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"After that, I joined Rajasthan United as a coach. Then came opportunities from Haryana\u2019s sub-junior team and from HOPS FC. Gradually, I began working with both state teams and clubs. For the past four years, I\u2019ve consistently coached in the sub-junior, junior, and senior women's nationals. After nationals, I move straight into the IWL\u2014there\u2019s no real off-season,\" said Punia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"It\u2019s not possible to perform at the top level every time\u2014there are ups and downs. Last year\u2019s winners finished second-last this time. But as HOPS FC coach, I can assure you we\u2019re going all out. We\u2019re aiming for the championship. We\u2019re signing good players, including national-level players, and we\u2019ll give our best to win,\" he concluded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n