Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Hockey is being taken over by complexity – it’s time to bring simplicity back

Over the past years I have been asked a lot about the success of the Dutch women’s hockey team. What we did, how we did it. With the real question being ‘what is special about the programme?’

To start with, there are several assumptions about the level of club hockey in Holland and the infrastructure being so elite that the Dutch already have a leading edge. Of course, having a good competition helps, but what makes a good competition great?  

A lot of teams around the world play more elite level games throughout the year than we ever played across 12 months. So, which is better, playing international hockey throughout the year or having a few really good club level competition games? We will come to that discussion in a different column. 

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Are there any plans to resume a paper copy?
    I enjoyed it dropping through my postbox and taking it to the local Wetherspoons for a read over a cheap beer or two.

  2. I agree with the comment regarding simplicity and the attitude of England Hockey.
    Sometimes, I long for the old days of playing on cricket outfields, on grass, with tea and tjugs of beer afterwards.
    We miss that now.

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