Netherlands: Not De Waard But Van Laarhoven Captain SCHC: ‘She’s Okay With It’

A new chapter has begun for Renée van Laarhoven at SCHC. Besides being the indispensable link in the defense, the 92-time Dutch international is now also the new captain in Bilthoven, succeeding Xan de Waard. This puts her at the head of the team that wants to reap rewards this season in the EHL and the battle for the national title. “I want to bring a lot of energy through my positivity.

Van Laarhoven officially wore the belt for the first time last Sunday, in the home game against HDM. That SCHC won the game easily (2-0) and kept its goal clean brought a smile to the face of the brand-new captain. ‘Captain or not, as a team we always strive to keep the zero. We had trained all week with specific attention on our defense. Then it’s great to start with a clean sheet and not give up a single penalty corner.

Is it the first time in your career that you wear the captain’s armband?Van Laarhoven: ‘It is not entirely new for me. At my previous club Kampong, I also wore it when Malou Pheninckx was absent. And also in the national youth selections I was captain sometimes, as a second year in the group. I don’t think much will change for me. I fill my role in the same way. In my position at the central back I’ve always been busy setting up the organization, communicating well and getting everyone on board.’

Why did your new coach Robbert van de Peppel choose you as captain, and not Xan anymore?‘Xan noticed in the last few months with Orange that she liked not being a captain anymore. That tie eventually ended up with Pien [Sanders] and that was totally okay for Xan. She could focus on her own game at Oranje and enjoy being on the field and she wants to be able to do that now at SCHC as well. I think she has taken on the role of captain very well in recent years. It requires a lot of responsibility, but she has always done it one hundred percent.’

Ex-captain Xan de Waard takes the HDM goal under fire. Photo: Jan Kruijdenberg

What kind of captain are you?‘When he asked me, I said that as a captain I like to stay close to what suits me. I’m not the one who is super critical of everyone every training session. That’s not in my nature. I’m someone of connection. Keeping the team together, that’s what I stand for. I want to bring a lot of energy through my positivity. Of course there will be some extra tasks for me, but in the end we’ll pick up the leadership tasks with a larger group. Players like Yibbi [Jansen], Pien [Dicke], Marleen [Jochems] and Xan really won’t suddenly take their hands off team tactics now.’

How special do you think it is to wear the belt at SCHC?‘It feels that you are appreciated within the team. And that radiates outward. That is of course a very nice compliment. Ultimately you don’t do it for that, but it’s very honorable. I am not the player who stands out most often. My strength is to play in the interest of the team, just like with Orange.’

Renée van Laarhoven with Orange teammates Xan de Waard (left) and Pien Sanders. Photo: Willem Vernes.

Of course, as captain you now often have to tell the outside world how SCHC will succeed in winning the national title this year. True, and it is up to me and the other girls to handle that well. The positive side of that attention is that it is very much alive in the field hockey world and that many people want us to win. That is very nice. But of course there is also the other side if we don’t succeed. That’s tough, especially right after a lost final.’

Last season there was the necessary uproar after the statements of previous coach Gilles van Hesteren, who confidently proclaimed that you would take the title. Were those statements annoying?‘We were not so concerned with that. We had confidence as a team that it was going to work and we still have that confidence. We are going for the title and we are expressing that. Above all, we have to focus on ourselves. We are not going to do a hundred things differently this season, because we are already doing a lot of things right. And if it finally works out, I’m sure there will be a lot of release. Because we also know how it feels to miss out on the title.’