{"id":80255,"date":"2017-09-04T16:44:38","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T14:44:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=80255"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:50","slug":"als-kind-droomde-ik-al-van-zon-groot-toernooi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2017\/09\/04\/als-kind-droomde-ik-al-van-zon-groot-toernooi\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018As a kid, I already dreamed of playing in a big championship like this\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Dutch women's hockey team celebrates after winning the EC final against Belgium (3-0).<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRobert Sanders<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

EUR students Malou Pheninckx (Medicine), Marloes Keetels (Business Administration and team Captain) and Seve van Ass (Accounting & Financial Management and team Captain) are driving forces in the national men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams. And in late August, they proved their mettle during the European field hockey championships in Amsterdam, where the Netherlands won a double title.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a drizzly Friday afternoon at Campus Woudestein, and in the Erasmus Pavilion a ragtag of students is making plans for the weekend. One of them is Malou Pheninckx. The medical student doesn\u2019t really stand out from the crowd. But looks can be deceiving: while other students\u2019 rucksacks are full of course books and laptops, Pheninckx proudly pulls out a gold-coloured rectangular plaque. It says \u2018Rabo EuroHockey Championships 2017\u2019.<\/p>\n

Unique<\/h3>
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Malou Pheninckx.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJack Parker<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

\u201cI brought along my medal,\u201d she says with a triumphant grin. Last week, the 26-year-old played \u2013 and won \u2013 her first truly major tournament with the national team. In her own country in front of a home crowd, of all places. \u201cYou\u2019ve got tens of thousands of people cheering for you as you enter the stadium, there are cameras everywhere and you can see yourself up on a big screen. It\u2019s a unique experience. You can hardly top something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Likewise, Captain Seve van Ass can also call himself a European champion, together with the other members of the Dutch national men\u2019s team. Although for a while, it didn\u2019t look as if the Netherlands would be landing the gold in the final against Belgium. The Dutch team was trailing behind by 0-2. And the Belgians had already dominated by 5-0 during an earlier head-to-head in the tournament. Still, \u2018Oranje\u2019 was confident they would do alright. \u201cWe needed to get up to our usual level and continue on the path that we have taken with this young team.\u201d And that\u2019s exactly what the Dutch team did in the second half of the match, with the scoreboard showing 4-2 in their favour after the final whistle.<\/p>\n

Relieved<\/h3>

\u201cIt was absolutely awesome to be captain of your team in your own country, in a sold-out stadium. And, on top of that, winning the tournament: it\u2019s one of the best things that can happen to you in your career,\u201d says an enthusiastic Van Ass. And with the women\u2019s team also winning the championship there was even more cause for celebration, adds the master student from his holiday home on Sardinia.<\/p>\n

Whereas Van Ass was fairly certain of his spot on the team, Pheninckx only heard that she was included in the European championship line-up in late July. According to her, she needed to pull out all the stops to become eligible for the national selection. \u201cI was delighted \u2013 and above all, very relieved \u2013 to get a call from the national coach. As a kid, I already dreamed of playing in a big championship like this \u2013 with all those people looking on,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Goodwill factor<\/h3>
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Seve van Ass during the European Championships in Amsterdam.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKoen Suyk<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

To free up time for training, the Brabant native had to temporarily put her clinical rotation on the back burner. \u201cWe trained nine or ten times a week for European championship. You can\u2019t combine the two,\u201d Pheninckx explains. She does occasionally try to get some research done and read some of the literature \u2013 to keep a toe in the water.<\/p>\n

And the University actually helps students involved in international-level athletics. \u201cIt\u2019s important that lecturers cut you some slack occasionally \u2013 allow you to move an examination to a later date, for example,\u201d says Van Ass. But it\u2019s crucial to stay disciplined. Although he does hint that the goodwill factor of lecturers plays a role here too.<\/p>\n

And the University actually helps students involved in international-level athletics. \u201cIt\u2019s important that lecturers cut you some slack occasionally \u2013 allow you to move an examination to a later date, for example,\u201d says Van Ass. But it\u2019s crucial to stay disciplined. Although he does hint that the goodwill factor of lecturers plays a role here too.<\/p>\n

Top priority<\/h3>

Whatever the case; for the time being, hockey will be both students\u2019 top priority. \u201cI want to make the very most of what I have right now, because in ten years\u2019 time, I will no longer be physically able to play at this level,\u201d predicts Pheninckx. By then, she hopes to have become a successful physician. Van Ass considers working part-time next to his career as a world-class athlete after earning his degree. \u201cI want to combine work and sports \u2013 it keeps me fresh and energetic.\u201d<\/p>\n

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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