Last field season ended disastrously for the women of Laren with a relegation to the Overgangsklasse. The team is now in the middle of the league. In the hall, however, Laren promoted to the highest level last season. The women are trying to keep their heads above water in the Main Division. “We belong here.
That there is indoor field hockey in the team is clear. The playful ease with which routine player Julia Müller, 39 years old, still puts opponents on the wrong foot. The quick overpassing and finding a hole in the circle at the right moment. The enthusiasm with which coach Steven van Tijn instructs his players along the line.
The will to be here shines from Laren, for example in the match against Amsterdam last Sunday in a sports hall in Eemnes. But where the Capitals needed just one chance, Laren did not manage to score. With a 0-3 loss, the Gooi players walked off the field. Against Kampong, three hours later, Laren did show that it can score goals. The 3-2 win not only gave the team three points, but also put them in fourth place for the time being.
Indoor freak
Mylee Vos de Mooij is only 21 years old, but already one of the routines of Laren and captain of the field and indoor team. A hall freak she calls herself. ‘And we all are. Already during the field season we regularly talked about the hall. We looked forward to the dynamics during and atmosphere surrounding these games. Indoor field hockey is very much alive at the club. When I started playing for Laren, the hall was immediately a topic of conversation. The fact that so much value is attached to it is quite unique, especially now.’
Laren captain Mylee Vos de Mooij calls herself a real indoor freak. Photo: Bart Scheulderman
The hall love is not surprising when you look at the club’s history. Just six years ago, the women became European indoor champions. A different era if you look at the selection of that time, which has now largely united in Pinoké Ladies 3 (including Lieke van Wijk, Lisanne de Lange and Mila Muyselaar).
Vos de Mooij also only joined after this European success. The striker already experienced two seasons in the big league, before Laren relegated to the Topklasse. This season Laren has gathered seven points so far, thanks in part to a victory over HDM – last season’s number two in the Netherlands. That puts them in the middle of the pack, insofar as there is any such thing in a group in which only Den Bosch is head and shoulders above the rest and the rest are not much better than each other.
If you see us play now, I think we belong here. We do everything for that. We train three times a week, for two hours. Often these are purely tactical trainings, we practice endless patterns. Yet everyone is always up for it and we are all there with a smile. And we are lucky to have two German players on the team (besides Müller also Jennifer Willner). They do things you don’t learn in the Netherlands. Playing a ball hard against the bar from close range so that it then ends up in the middle of the circle, for example. And they are very fierce and have a very strong backhand. They also communicate well. Sometimes I even feel like I’m playing field hockey in Germany, so much German I hear around me.’
Laren rookie Julia Müller (here dueling with Kampong player Carlijn Tukkers) is still playing at the cutting edge. Photo: Bart Scheulderman
Easy task
On the outside, Carlijn Jansonius (Voordaan Dames 2) and Vivienne Kastrop (Schaerweijde) hooked up. Especially Jansonius’ arrival is remarkable, because Voordaan also plays in the big league and she was captain of that team last year. Carlijn wanted to play for a team that trains really hard and has ambition. Then we are the team for you’, says Vos de Mooij.
In the end it’s the results that count if you want to compete at the highest level. Something in which Laren succeeds quite well. Our dream goal is to maintain ourselves. We know that is a challenge. We are in a very tough group. When I saw it, I had to swallow. The atmosphere in the group is certainly not to blame. I am not a captain who yells a lot, but it is important to keep the team feeling good. In that respect I have an easy task. And whatever the outcome, we will take the positive energy we gain now to the field. Especially that anything goes. We showed that against HDM.’
by Hockey.nl
