{"id":81744,"date":"2017-11-22T16:15:27","date_gmt":"2017-11-22T15:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=81744"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:53","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:53","slug":"voor-het-echte-hockey-moet-je-niet-hier-zijn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2017\/11\/22\/voor-het-echte-hockey-moet-je-niet-hier-zijn\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Don’t expect real hockey here\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tel tot Team\u2019s players were ecstatic after winning the club\u2019s internal autumn tournament. <\/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>

Most sports clubs take part in regional or national competitive leagues. However, the Never Less Field Hockey Club likes to do things a little differently. Many of its approximately 250 members form teams that battle it out among themselves for victory in the club\u2019s internal autumn tournament. Last Monday evening, a team called Tel tot Team won the final of the tournament, and so was crowned the club\u2019s best team. Yet, as is often the case with this club, the evening\u2019s highlight took place off the pitch.<\/p>\n

For instance, after the game, dozens of Never Less members gathered in the atmospheric cafeteria of the Leonidas Field Hockey Club to have a few beers, attend the award ceremony and celebrate St Nicolas a few weeks early, after which a few die-hards closed off the night in the Irish pub in downtown Rotterdam, as they do every Monday night.<\/p>\n

Not too seriously<\/h3>

One of these die-hards was former EUR student and committee member Sjoerd Peters. He scored the goal in the penalty shoot-out that gave Tel to Team the victory in the final, but that did not mean all that much to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis internal competition shouldn\u2019t be taken too seriously. It\u2019s just students playing hockey. The thing that matters is being able to have a good time together and have a beer,\u201d he said while he and his teammates were getting ready for the award ceremony, putting the whole thing into perspective.<\/p>\n

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The two teams contesting the final took penalties from the centre line, without any goalkeepers getting in the way, to decide who would be the champion of the club\u2019s autumn tournament. <\/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>

Fair Play Award<\/h3>

But it was not just the competition winners who were put in the limelight during the award ceremony. St Nicolas was in attendance, as well (a little early), and a team called \u2019t Gooisch Gezelschap was celebrated for winning the Fair Play Award, by some considerable margin.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people are so gung ho when playing sports. Where\u2019s the fun in that?\u201d sneered Educational Sciences student Judith Elsinga, 20, a member of the team. \u201cHockey is meant to be fun. Don\u2019t join Never Less if you want to play real hockey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Members\u2019 weekend<\/h3>

The members attending the ceremony had only returned from a festive but exhausting members\u2019 weekend the day before. Not that you could tell \u2013 they were indulging in Heineken and \u2018straw ad fundum\u2019 games (downing a bottle of beer in one gulp through a straw) as usual.<\/p>\n

One of the students enjoying the club\u2019s parties was Fiscal Economics, Economics and Business Economics student Leonie van der Klugt, 21, who is a member of the committee organising the club\u2019s activities. \u201cThe members\u2019 weekend is the highlight of the year. The beer cantus [beer sing-along], in particular, was fabulous,\u201d she said, looking mischievous. \u201cSome things happened that unfortunately I\u2019m not to tell you about.\u201d<\/p>\n

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St Nicolas, too, enjoyed a few alcoholic beverages. <\/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>

Mixed-gender<\/h3>

\u201cOur club is about fun as well as hockey,\u201d added the club\u2019s President, Bram van der Doelen, 23, who is doing a Master\u2019s degree at EUR. He emphasised that the club consists of a group of very close and active members, most of whom know each other well because they all take part in the club\u2019s internal competition.<\/p>\n

In addition, teams include both beginners and advanced players, and men and women play together. \u201cThat\u2019s why we are different from other sports clubs,\u201d Van der Doelen proudly said in closing.<\/p>\n

More sport associations<\/h2>