They started 2025 as the bottom of the Tulip big league. But a month after the league resumption, SCHC is suddenly in a provisional, safe ninth place. Sunday’s win at Nijmegen was a whopping 0-4. Thanks to hat-trick hero Max Sweering. And to Liverpool coach Arne Slot.
To start with the latter. The success coach of the Premier League leader was suddenly seen in the SCHC dressing room on Friday. And no, that was not because Slot himself came to take a look in Bilthoven. SCHC coach Jeroen Groenheijde had set up a video of Slot’s speech.
‘Slot had given that speech just before a Champions League match,’ striker Max Sweering says. ‘It was about dealing with pressure. That you can’t avoid it. You have to embrace pressure, was pretty much the message. And that’s what we had to do today. Because of course we definitely felt that pressure prior to the game.’
A fragment Groenheijde had not chosen lightly. Because promotional SCHC took few – too few in Bilthoven’s opinion – points against rivals. Carefree stunts against better teams did happen. But at the bottom they only won against HDM (3-1). Until Sunday. Because then they flew into each other’s arms after the incredible blowout against Nijmegen. Nijmegen was in last place with five points, one spot below SCHC with seven points.
Sweering pushed twice from the penalty spot. Photo: Jan Kruijdenberg
A jug of beer from the board
That makes ten now. SCHC congratulated each other on the bench even before the final whistle. Because whether the last corner made it 5-0 or not. It made little difference to their mood on Sunday. They were delightfully, unabashedly happy at Stichtsche. Walked a lap of honor, almost all of them flew around the necks of acquaintances. During the interview with Sweering, top hockey board member Paul-Robert Lankhout arrived with a large jug of beer, which was then drunk in plastic cups near the dugout. A mini-party with a sweet aftertaste.
‘We had absolutely not counted on this beforehand,’ says Sweering, still a little stunned by that big win. ‘We showed here that we can also deliver against a team that is about as good. We didn’t think and doubt too much, but mostly played good hockey. Dared to do that in a game where it really comes down to the points.’
SCHC imposed its will on Nijmegen at times. Especially the second quarter, in which the score increased from 0-0 to 3-0, was painful for the home team, which made many mistakes. The team from Bilthoven thus continues its swinging line that was started after the winter. Earlier they surprised the field hockey world with a win over Bloemendaal (4-3) and a draw against Den Bosch (1-1). But there is no talk of a turnaround, turning point or major change, according to Sweering.
Sweering and Sam Figge (left) walk away happy after a goal. Photo: Jan Kruijdenberg
The rightness of Michel van den Heuvel
‘What I do notice is that we are really getting better,’ ponders the former indoor international. ‘We recently saw images of the way we were putting pressure before the winter break. That’s really much faster now, more explosive. We are fitter, can keep it up longer. What Michel van den Heuvel said about the top clubs also applies to us. The level is much higher.’
He beams. Is visibly proud of his team. ‘We also had to get used to it when we came back into the big league in September. Had played two years in the Promotion Division. That perhaps made us a bit hesitant. But now we are hooked. Doesn’t matter anymore who we have to play against. We proved that we have a chance against everyone.’
Quickly followed by: ‘Although I also know that you only win against Bloemendaal once every ten years.’
Intense joy at SCHC after the victory over Bloemendaal, earlier this month. Photo: Koen Suyk
How ‘minus three’ brought the group closer together
Fair is fair. They were of course also tormented to the extreme at SCHC after that disastrous week in November, in which they received three penalties for fielding a non-playing player and the defeat against rival Hurley.
That brought us even more together as a group. It made us want to prove even more that we are worth those points. That feeling was really alive after the victory over Bloemendaal. We got the lost points back.
Photo: Jan Kruijdenberg
Sweering is extremely modest about his own part in that capital victory over Nijmegen. His two right penalties and a nick ensured his first hat-trick at the highest level. And that after a first half of the season in which he only played two games due to an ankle injury.
‘Oh well, I actually like the pressure of penalty balls,’ said Sweering, who also pushed SCHC to the big league in June from the spot. ‘It’s nice for me that it works out that way. But I think it is more important that we now show that it is not a coincidence, that we are doing well. We belong in the big league and now we have a nice ninth spot in our hands. We don’t want to give that away anymore.’
by Hockey.nl
