The man who has guided the team to be at its fitness peak in preparation for the Games is focused only on supporting the team to success. And it’s showing on the pitch.

Head Coach Katrina Powell applauded the work of Veli at the end of her team’s win over China, pointing to their speed and fitness as one of the key factors.

“It’s a team effort, it’s not just me,” a modest Veli said.

“We have a really good off-field team; we trust each other and challenge each other so that we get the best out our players…not just physically, but tactically and technically.”

A representative junior Aussie Rules midfielder and basketball shooting guard, Veli has long held a passion for sport but considers himself, “a want-to-be-athlete who never quite made it”.

He followed this passion to study Exercise and Sports Science at Deakin University before earning his masters at Edith Cowan University in Perth.

Veli took over the role at the Hockeyroos in 2017, helping them win silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and prepare them for what is being touted as the hottest Olympics in history.

While many lamented the postponement of the 2020 Games, Veli relished the opportunity to build on the Hockeyroos fitness. His focus has been firmly on the gruelling back-to-back nature of the Olympic tournament with teams playing five pool games in seven days.

“We’ve always known fitness was going to play a major part at the Tokyo Olympics due to the heat,” he said.

“Over the past two years this has been a real focus for us. The Covid delay presented another opportunity when we couldn’t be on the turf.

“The group really embraced the opportunity to get fitter…when there was so much uncertainty, it gave them a purpose to work towards.”

During the Covid-19 lockdown, athletes trained alone, or in small groups, from their homes all around Australia before they returned to the national High Performance Unit in Perth.

On returning to Western Australia, the team spent their days running the hills of Perth - the DNA Tower at Kings Park a favourite - and endurance bike riding around Rottnest Island.

This training was all part of the Hockeyroos’ 14-hour weekly program which included weight training, high-intensity intervals, hockey skills and match play.

Little surprise Veli was wearing one of the biggest smiles on the sidelines at the Oi Hockey Stadium on Tuesday when the Hockeyroos smashed China 6-0.

“As the game progressed, the girls showed a real belief and trust in their physical preparation,” he said.

“I always knew they’ve had it. As I watched the game eventuate, you could see they believed in themselves. They can now draw on that capacity and embrace the work they have done.

“It always put a smile on my face, but it’s been a good team effort from everyone in the off-field team to ensure we are at our physical best at the right time.” 

Being a ‘secret weapon’ may be a title the Hockeyroos’ little-heralded Strength and Conditioning coach doesn’t readily embrace, but there is no question his guidance has, and will continue to, have a significant impact on their success in Tokyo.

“Our conditioning will put us right up there to challenge those top teams,” Veli said of the opportunity to play the Netherlands, Argentina and Germany.

“It’s only three games in, but I back our preparation and the work the girls have done to continue that momentum going forward.

“There is a good belief in our group that we will be able to rise to the demands required. We can trust in our preparation and embrace the challenge.” 

Catriona Dixon