Niklas Wellen: ‘Always wanted to play in the Netherlands’
Despite the corona pandemic, Niklas Wellen is feeling good about himself. The 138-time German international is fit and having a good time at Pinoké. With the switch to the ambitious club from the Amsterdamse Bos last summer, a long-cherished wish came true for 26-year-old Wellen. “I’ve always wanted to play in the Netherlands.” ‘In the summer of 2018 […]
Kelly Hoyng-Jonker: ‘Orange is a closed book’
Sunday afternoon, Oranje-Rood against Pinoké. In the circle, the tip-in-queen lurks for the ball like a heron on a goldfish. Above number 23, her white shirt only shows Hoyng, her husband’s last name. The name Jonker is missing. As if she symbolically left her hockey life before her comeback ( 168 international matches, 68 goals ) behind. After her pregnancy and since her return […]
Jelle Galema returns to Oranje-Rood after three seasons
Attacker Jelle Galema (28) returns to his old love after a three-year adventure with Den Bosch. Signing a four-year contract with Oranje-Rood, the club with which he experienced golden years with winning three national titles (2014, 2015 and 2016) and the Euro Hockey League (2015). From 2009 to 2018, Galema played his first term for Oranje-Rood, […]
A Dutchman in India: ‘Beautiful country that requires a lot of energy’
In the series ‘Foreign adventure’ stories of Dutch hockey players who play or have played abroad, this week Balder Bomans (37). He played in the Premier Hockey League for two seasons. In his first year he reached the final with Chandigarh Dynamos, losing to the Bangalore Lions after a best-of-three. In the middle of the night at […]
Max Caldas on winter internship in the Netherlands: ‘We are flexible’
In recent years, national coach Max Caldas has often stood by the side of the field in South Africa, Australia or Malaysia during the traditional winter training period of the Orange Men in shorts and a t-shirt. How different is that next week, when the temperature is expected to be a maximum of two degrees and […]
Hockey in Australia: ‘I had to arrange everything within ten days’
In the series ‘Foreign adventure’ stories of Dutch hockey players who play or have played abroad, this week Florine van Grimbergen (28). She played in two bouts for Melbourne University Hockey Club and HC Melbourne in Australia. Ouch! Ouch! There is still fifteen minutes of playing time on the clock, but Florine van Grimbergen has a cramp in […]
Schopman saw players in India become role models during lockdown
Janneke Schopman (43) had just started as an assistant national coach in India when the corona broke out and the Asian country was locked up. The lockdown was fierce, but it also brought something good. The women’s team was named Women of the Year for a charity and stepped out of the shadow of the men’s team. […]
Santi Frexia set to leave Amsterdam
Santi Freixa (38) is in his last season as head coach for the men of Amsterdam. The expiring contract of the former Spanish international will not be extended, because the desired results have not yet been achieved. The big league announced this on Wednesday afternoon via the club site. Freixa, who in the past also wore the […]
Lidewij Welten: ‘2021 will be one big hockey puzzle’
It goes without saying that Lidewij Welten was pleasantly surprised on Tuesday when she heard the news about the resumption of group training and the beckoning restart of the big league . But with the unpredictability of the corona virus in mind, the attacker from Den Bosch and Oranje is still a bit of a blow. “Nothing is self-evident.” […]
Dutch big league coaches fear frost and injuries: ‘Time is tight’
The surprising news that the big league teams will most likely be allowed to resume group training and competition from 17 December has been received with enthusiasm by the top hockey players. But the coaches are tempering expectations and are sceptical whether league matches will be played in January. ‘To prevent injuries, we have to be […]
