Amsterdam, Oranje-Rood, Tilburg, Hurley, Nijmegen and … Schiedam. That is the grouping of the National Youth League. You do not have to be a field hockey expert to see that the team from South Holland does not normally belong in this list. But the local MO16-1 did it anyway. They are playing for the first time in club history at the highest field level in the Netherlands.
Seven more weekends, then it will begin. Captain Jet Scholtes (16) can’t wait. She is literally counting down the days. ‘It itches immediately when I think about it. Last week we heard which pool we were in. That made me look forward to it even more,’ says the midfielder. Scholtes is a field hockey animal. And with a sister as captain in MO18-1 and a sister as captain in the MO14-1 comes from a real field hockey family. With parents who are at the club all Saturday.
Scholtes and her teammates managed to finish second in the national top league before the winter break. Although out of ten games, four were lost (narrowly), second place and a ticket to an extension of the national adventure was a reality. Zwolle, Almere, Voordaan and GHBS finished lower. When a draw against leader Oranje-Rood took place on their own field in mid-November, the party erupted. One point was enough to write club history.
Girls who work for each other
‘After the first game in September, I already knew: we are going to succeed this year,’ says the captain. ‘I still found it exciting in the summer. I really wondered if we fit in.’ Her coach Tim Hokke has to laugh. ‘The group really succeeded because of the spirit. The mentality in this group is very high. They work very hard for each other. I don’t have girls who stand out head and shoulders above the rest. I have girls who work for each other.’
Schiedam’s girls in action against Zwolle.
When Asvion and Spirit merged in Schiedam in 2016, Scholtes was just eight years old. That makes her and her teammates one of the first to go through all the teams at the composite club. That makes the national achievement extra nice. Never before has a Schiedam selection managed to reach the highest level. A handsome achievement for the club where the flagship teams play in the Overgangsklasse and Eerste Klasse.
Coach Hokke is for the first time responsible for the talented team from Schiedam. Never before has he had such a gifted selection under his charge. The basic techniques are well developed. As a coach that is of course very nice. If I suggest skipping a training session, I immediately get all kinds of messages. The group must and will play field hockey. Even the Christmas vacations were full of training moments.’
I think the girls were most impressed with Amsterdam. That’s a big name after all. Coach Tim Hokke
Coach Tim Hokke speaking.
Last week the group allocation appeared in the girls’ group app. Hall period or not, immediately WhatsApp snapped and thoughts returned to the field. ‘I think the girls were most impressed with Amsterdam. That’s a big name after all,’ said the coach, who saw the messages coming in one by one. ‘Actually, they are all big clubs. But I’m sure we belong in it.’
‘Everyone will think they are going to win from us for a while’
‘Only Oranje-Rood we know. I’ve never been to all the other clubs,’ says the teenager, who realizes there are long car rides ahead again. ‘I’m looking forward to all the games. Everyone must think they’re going to beat us for a while. Well, no way. That’s exactly when we’ll take them. Believe me, we’re really going for it,” the captain assured.
‘I’ve had a good look at the teams on Instagram, but there’s not much there,’ the captain concludes. She dares to venture a prediction. ‘I do dare to bet on a place among the best three. The left row. I’m already so proud of us for being there. But if I really dream, I think Schiedam at number one is totally cool.’
Captain Jet Scholtes.
by Hockey.nl
