With the second half of the FIH Hockey Professional League 2024-25 quick approaching, we’re catching up with gamers and coaches of all 9 males’s and ladies’s groups to take the temperature of their season by way of the primary half and discover their targets for the remaining matches. In at present’s interview, we converse with Rein van Eijk and Alix Gerniers, the coach and captain of the Belgium girls’s group, the Pink Panthers.
Rein van Eijk
What’s your tackle the primary a part of the FIH Hockey Professional League, regardless that you didn’t actively participate in it?
I feel we did very effectively within the first a part of the professional league, regardless that I solely began after the primary 4 video games and joined the group in South America for the video games in opposition to Argentina and Australia. Being within the place that we’re in, midway by way of the professional league, sitting in second place is an excellent place to be in. It’s nice to see that we’ve been in a position to incorporate so many proficient younger gamers into the squad and that our efficiency has added to the upward development that the group already confirmed on the Paris Olympics.
The match up to now is extraordinarily thrilling, and we can’t wait to get again to it. It says lots concerning the state of worldwide girls’s hockey and the competitiveness of it that we’ve 5 groups at prime of the professional league rankings inside 5 factors of one another. We’re pleased with our place, however hope to nonetheless enhance within the second half of the professional league when the professional League returns residence in Antwerp.
What are your ambitions for the upcoming block to be performed in June?
For the second block of the professional league to be performed in June, our objective very clearly is to make subsequent steps in our improvement, stay aggressive and play for the highest spots so long as attainable. We hope to enhance our greatest rating but within the professional league as a lot as attainable this version, by getting good leads to Antwerp.
What do you assume would be the most difficult half?
Essentially the most difficult a part of this leg of the professional league shall be balancing all of the totally different components that pull on our group. We can have a shortened preparation in comparison with the winter block due to the Belgian league that’s going down till the top of Could, then we even have a European championship to arrange for, and on prime of that it’s clearly a closely dense program with eight video games in 16 days so we are going to want all of our gamers at their peak of their health able to carry out over right here.
What position do you hope the Belgian followers will play throughout this residence section of the Professional League?
We will’t wait to play in entrance of a Belgian residence crowd. We hope to win the gang over with our manner of taking part in and we are going to want all of their assist to ensure that us to attain our objectives of getting the perfect end up to now within the professional league. We hope the followers will carry us, and enhance our starvation for this summer time’s European Championship, however extra importantly a World Cup at residence subsequent yr, much more.
Alix Gerniers:
What did you be taught from the primary a part of the Professional League? (Concerning the group? Concerning the group’s mentality? About its improvement?)
For the primary a part of this professional league block I feel it was vital to only be along with the group and have some enjoyable . It’s not simple after such an enormous match because the Olympics. Additionally there was lots of change within the employees in our group, so a very powerful was to get to know one another and construct a brand new group for the longer term.
What would be the objective of the matches performed in June?
We’re 2nd within the rating proper now which is tremendous good for the group. We haven’t set the objectives but however off track once we step on the pitch we go for a victory so I might say focus recreation by recreation and attempt to finish as excessive as attainable on this Professional League marketing campaign.
How does it really feel to play at residence?
It’s all the time tremendous good to play an extended Professional league block in Belgium. The group is tremendous excited and hopefully the supporters additionally 🙂 And it is usually nice to have these sort off video games to actually promote our sport in Belgium
How are you and the group making ready mentally and bodily for the ultimate stretch?
We’re fortunate that Belgium is a small nation so we really see one another each week. We practice 4-5 occasions collectively each week. Each week we will practice on new issues, get to know one another higher on and off pitch and in addition for the group ambiance it’s actually wonderful.
What would you prefer to say to the supporters who’ll be in Antwerp or watching from residence?
Hopefully we see one another in a couple of weeks and we promise you thrilling video games. And for positive put one thing purple on.
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