On a day dominated by Xan de Waard’s retirement announcement, SCHC landed a 4-0 win over HGC to ensure they will be back next Easter to defend the Euro Hockey League.
De Waard crowned her last home game in the regular league with a goal after Yibbi Jansen, Jip Dicke and Maud van den Heuvel scored.
With the big win, SCHC, which was its 500th main league game, will finish the league as number one take the first of two Dutch EHL Women’s spots.
For de Waard, she announced that she is finishing her career in top-hockey with both SCHC and the Netherlands after this summer’s World Cup.
“It’s been nice, Xan out,” the 30-year-old wrote, six months after being named best player in the world for the second time. “It feels good this way. I am very much looking forward to new things but first I have to give everything in the play-offs with SCHC and this summer with Oranje.”
For the Dutch national team, she has played 238 international matches so far and scored 22 goals. With the Dutch team, De Waard won all major awards with two Olympic golds, three World Cup titles and four European titles.
“After so many years at this level, this summer feels like the right moment. Grateful for everything hockey has brought me,’ De Waard wrote in her announcement.
“I could never have done this without the people around me. Thanks to all the coaches, trainers, physios, doctors and teammates who believed in me, put time in me and made me better, as a hockey player and especially as a human being.
“And my dear family and friends, you were always there. Even when I wasn’t there myself. Thank you.”
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