Final yr, the Ring Cross girls stunned buddy and foe by nearly clinching a playoff ticket as a promoter. One objective wanting ending third, the workforce from Delft completed third. This season Ring Cross has proven itself to be no flash within the pan. Particularly after the 1-2 victory final Sunday afternoon at and in opposition to Victoria, a closing rating within the prime three continues to be a practical choice. Maybe the sight of workforce tattoos will give the decisive push.
On Ascension Day, Could 29, a big a part of the workforce is scheduled to go to a tattoo store in Delft. An concept that originated final winter. Anybody who has adopted Ring Cross slightly is aware of {that a} pink pepper is the image of the workforce. Throughout the play-offs two years in the past, when Ring Cross promoted to the Promotion League as a transitional class, each participant obtained a pendant with a pink pepper on it. An concept of the then captain Imke van Heemskerck van Beest, meant to provide her workforce some further energy. One thing that had the specified impact on the time.
Nearly all gamers nonetheless put on the pepper throughout their matches. ‘New workforce members additionally get one,’ says present captain Teuntje Bruijstens. ‘And so quickly a tattoo can be added, to have our particular bond with us without end. It’s not one thing that fits everybody, however we’re going to get it executed with about eight of us.’
The pink pepper Teuntje Bruijstens wears on her ear each recreation. Photograph: Rob Römer
Membership historical past
Not like promotion league golf equipment resembling Bloemendaal, Victoria, Push and Nijmegen, Ring Cross doesn’t have a wealthy prime hockey historical past. The efficiency of Women 1, now two years in a row energetic within the Promotion Division, is the perfect to this point. In keeping with Bruijstens, this is because of years of enjoying collectively. ‘With the core of the group I’ve been enjoying collectively since youth. Again then we have been already enjoying nationwide subject hockey. Collectively we labored very laborious to advertise to the Promotion Division. That it’s now going so properly, is after all very cool and particular.
This yr the workforce remained collectively for probably the most half. A brand new coach did arrive. Sjoerd Woelders made method for Eelco van Roon after years of main the workforce. ‘We wanted to develop extra tactically. Eelko provides us that. We’re a workforce that partly wants laborious work, however have actually made strides this season when it comes to ways.’
In keeping with Bruijstens, the nice outcomes additionally deliver strain, which her workforce struggles with fairly a bit. ‘We’re then extra involved with successful than with our personal play. In consequence, we didn’t play too properly in current weeks. We made pointless errors and missed the connection within the subject. Since final week we attempt to put the main target further consciously on enjoying good subject hockey. If we do this, these outcomes will come naturally.’
Pleasure at Ring Cross after the successful objective in opposition to Victoria. Photograph: Rob Römer
That tattoo is for us way more than simply subject hockey Captain Teuntje Bruijstens
Towards Victoria this strategy labored in any case. In an thrilling recreation Ring Cross took the lead within the first quarter. A cross from the left reached the outlawed striker Meike Jansen, who simply tapped in in entrance of an open objective. After Victoria got here alongside within the second half because of a advantageous outburst by Claire Moerman, the sport continued to wave backwards and forwards. A decent penalty nook flick by defender Daane Koch ensured that Ring Cross stays within the wake of the highest three. The gap to runner-up Nijmegen is now two factors, that to Leonidas (the opponent in two weeks) only one.
‘After all we expect it could be nice to make these playoffs. We’re going to do all the pieces we are able to to try this. However regardless of the final result, we’re particularly pleased with how we’re displaying that we belong at this degree. These peppers have definitely helped us to this point, however above all they symbolize who we’re as Ring Cross. A workforce that goes by way of fireplace for one another. For us, that tattoo is way more than simply subject hockey. But when it helps us on the sphere to search out one another even higher, that’s nice.’
