They barely played a role with the Dutch national team until June. Then started as rookies in the Pro League. And then were the surprises of choice in national coach Raoul Ehren’s European Championship selection. Their dream summer ended with a gold medal at the European Championship. Orange newcomers and roomies Pam van der Laan (21 years old, 14 internationals) and Danique van der Veerdonk (24 years old, 11 internationals) were watching their eyes recently.
Sunday afternoon, around seven o’clock. Van der Laan and Van der Veerdonk are standing along the boarding of the European Championship field in Mönchengladbach. Fifteen minutes before, they have received the greatest prize in their still short careers. The brand-new gold medals are hanging around their necks. They look at them again in amazement, in the stadium that is still rattling full. ‘It’s incredible how this turned out,’ says Van der Laan amazed, ‘We both went through roughly the same trajectory. It went super fast, with both of us. After the playoffs, we were called up by Raoul. Actually playing the Pro League was already bizarre. And then you also get to stand here and leave as winners of an EC. That all happened in a few weeks. So fucking fat.
Beside her, Van der Veerdonk is nodding. ‘A world has opened up for us. At your first training session you think: just testing what this is going to be like,’ says the defender who has been in top field hockey with Den Bosch for years. She played her first international in June. ‘Apart from the girls from my own club, you end up in a new team. With a totally different dynamic, in which I had to find my place. It took some getting used to. The trainings and matches are harder, fiercer and tougher. But there wasn’t much time. Because actually we had to be there right away.’
Van der Laan with her fans. Photo: Willem Vernes
‘The Thalys of Pinoké’
Van der Laan was the only Pinoké player in the national team selection. Three years back, she played twice for the Dutch national team, which then played field hockey with an occasional squad in India, in the Pro League. Her international counter also started running again in the summer. ‘From those matches against India I knew a few girls. Other than that I had never played with anyone.’
Van der Veerdonk: ‘You knew me, didn’t you?
Van der Laan: ‘Oh yes, I trained with your team a few times. But that was about it, I think. With those girls I hardly knew a few weeks ago, I am now celebrating. Jumping with a gold medal. Then it no longer matters how long you’ve been playing together.’
They were ‘regular’ big league players. Studying, had vacations booked for the hockey-less summer coming up. But for the past two months they have been full-time top athletes, suddenly also part of the best field hockey team in the world. During this interview, they had to do their best to drown out the rabid Orange fans.
‘That too was completely new to us, that attention. The screaming about our team. You have so many girls and boys who are suddenly fans of you. Then I think: I’m just Pam, I just play at Pinoké. Ten years ago I stood there screaming like that myself.’ She even had her personal supporters with her in the final. A group of teammates had traveled to Germany with a sign calling her “The Thalys of Pinoké. ‘They think I’m an express train. Super cool that they were there.
Van der Veerdonk, obviously wearing her white hair tie. Photo: Willem Vernes
The lookalike of Yibbi and an interview in De Telegraaf
Van der Veerdonk: ‘I also had to get used to the sound. I tried to call people in the finale, but I couldn’t get above it. There was so much noise being made. Thought especially when I sat on the bench: oh my God, what have I gotten myself into?’ Van der Laan: ‘After that 2-1 I did feel the tension, though. All those German spectators screamed even louder.
Van der Veerdonk: ‘Sometimes fans thought I was Yibbi [Jansen] afterwards. Because I also wear a hair band. I passed the kids and the yelling started, haha. Then I knew: after the game I have to take that band off quickly. I might have made a lot of people happy, by just giving an autograph or taking a selfie. But it’s more fun when they do that with the real Yibbi. The Limburg native had no shortage of attention anyway. ‘I got a lot of interviews at L1, the broadcaster of Limburg. That we stayed in Venlo during the European Championships made it extra special for them.’
Van der Laan was suddenly in De Telegraaf with a big interview. ‘That was new, yes. Of course you’re used to a bit of media. I have been on field hockey.nl before and our league games appear on Viaplay. But not this. Is good for the sport, right? This attention.’
So they spent two weeks in their fancy hotel in the Venlo woods, on top of a hill. Laid in the room together. ‘We both like to lie on our beds, too. Didn’t necessarily need to talk all the time. Felt comfortable.’ Van der Laan: ‘Was nice, though. You’re in a group all day. In our room we could recharge our batteries. Fortunately we thought the same and sometimes we were nice and quiet. Super nice.
The two roomies just after the final whistle in the final. Photo: Willem Vernes
Bug hunting in the bedroom
Van der Laan: ‘I felt a bit like the little man in our room. If there was just a tiny critter…a spider, fly or mosquito, I had to get to work.’ Van der Veerdonk: “And then she didn’t grab a piece of paper…No, just with her hand. Bam! Then she hit such an animal. When I wanted to grab one, I fell off the bed. We had a good laugh together.
They look at each other radiantly. The two newcomers to the Orange not only captured an EC title, but also made a shipload of memories. ‘These weeks we are never going to forget. It was super special to experience this together in this way.’
by Hockey.nl
