They lived toward it for years: promotion to the Promotion League. Last season they finally succeeded. But the Schaerweijde women are in an eleventh place in the mid-season rankings. Yet there is no question of a depressed mood, according to striker Vivienne Kastrop. We are fighting for each other more than ever.
Unlike the men, Schaerweijde Ladies 1 made its debut in the Promotion League this season. The team remained more or less intact, but Sjoerd Woelders came over from Ring Pass as the new coach. That has done something to the team, Kastrop says a week before the kickoff of the second half of the season. We feel more relaxed, play with our heads up and Sjoerd has instilled a certain fighting spirit in us. Not having your day and still draw or even win is no longer possible in the Promotion League. We realize that we have to play harder and sharper. Defending with one hand, for example, is immediately punished. And you don’t get twenty chances, only three. So you have to deliver, otherwise you lose.’
And so the training volume was increased to three times two hours per week. The team also plays with heart rate monitors, so fitness is closely monitored. It has yielded eight points so far. Big losses have also failed to materialize, yet you have to scroll almost all the way down the rankings to find Schaerweijde. Only straggler MOP is not doing as well on paper with five points so far.
Kastrop is not too worried about it yet. ‘Unlike some others on the team, I am really concerned with the rankings. Of course I would prefer us to be higher, but at the same time the difference with number seven Victoria is only six points. So the season is really far from played.’
Schaerweijde Ladies 1 (with Kastrop fourth from bottom left) prepared for the second half of the season in Málaga, among other places.
According to the Utrecht native, her team does not need any major standouts. With Rixt van de Wal we have a good corner. Apart from that, nobody stands out. We are close though. Without strong youth we also have to make do with each other. With three girls who have just returned from a serious cruciate ligament injury and we have had to miss them for a long time, that was and is sometimes a challenge. But even though we are losing a lot now, we are not going off thick and we are playing with more and more courage and conviction. We have to if we want to hold on. And we want to. To be relegated to the Promotion Class would be very bad after all the effort we put into getting promoted.’
Finally in the Promotion Class
For Kastrop herself, playing at this level is also a long-cherished wish. The 25-year-old attacker started at Houten and switched to Laren in the last year of her youth. Advancing to the first women’s team, which was almost completely deflated after relegation from the big league, was in the offing, but ultimately did not happen. Being allowed to train with them was already difficult. Too bad, because I would have loved to stay. But in that turmoil I chose eggs for my money anyway.’
Kastrop knocked on the door of transitional class Gooische, only to try out for then promotion class Huizen after one full and two covid seasons. It was not a happy marriage. Kastrop: ‘Let’s just say I didn’t feel right in the group. I hardly played and went to training sessions with lead in my shoes. I quit in October to finish the season with Naarden Ladies 2. Then I switched to Schaerweijde.’
That was two and a half years ago now. ‘I then came in exactly halfway through the trajectory toward Promotion League. In my first year we played play-offs, but rightly lost. Last year we succeeded. It’s cool to actually play in the Promotion Division now. I always enjoy going to the club. I quickly rediscovered my love for field hockey at Naarden and here.’
Winter trip to Laren
Nevertheless, Kastrop made a trip to her old club Laren this winter. With that she maintained herself in the Main Division Hall. ‘With Schaerweijde, we play Topklasse and have been playing the same teams for years, including Gooische and Huizen. I meet my former teammates again. Besides, we have an informal atmosphere, while as a technical player I really enjoy playing indoor hockey. Well, that wish to play a lot of serious indoor hockey was fulfilled at Laren. I came into a warm bath, trained hard and a lot and played full time. The fact that I managed to do that with my own qualities gives me peace of mind and confidence. Confidence that I can also show it on the field at Schaerweijde. That I can claim more balls, especially now that as a striker I get far fewer balls than last season.’
Vivienne Kastrop (center) maintained herself last winter with Laren in the Main Division Hall. Photo: Rob Römer
Against co-promoter Were Di, Kastrop, good for three goals so far, and her teammates will immediately get a great opportunity to put into practice their lessons learned in recent months when the league resumes next Sunday. ‘ How mega relaxed you guys are and you help each other on the field,’ we have been hearing more and more from outside recently. I think that says it all.
by Hockey.nl
