Just a very short wait before one of the most special weeks in the club’s history begins for Houten. Starting Sunday, Europe’s greatest talents will spend six days on the fields of the Utrecht club during the Rabo 8-nations U16. The tournament for national teams up to 16 years of age will be given extra sparkle by their local hero in goal for the Dutch team.
‘We still have to get the flags from the field hockey association. Between the grounds and the parking lot, there will still be an entrance gate. And we still have to change our ‘fries with’ into ‘french fries’. But otherwise we are completely ready for it. Let the teams come.
As she utters that last sentence, Houten chairman Sonja van der Deure looks out over her club’s complex. There are some Dutch national team shirts walking around Houten’s fields, but on this Tuesday night they are still just being worn by their own Boys Under 16 team. ‘Saturday most of the teams are coming here. I understand that the Belgian teams are already in the area, they train first at Kampong. Totally fine of course. There will also be many teams staying in Utrecht.’ A glance out the window: ‘Although I think the Van der Valk around the corner will also be completely full of field hockey players the next few days.’
So no less than sixteen teams will be walking around Houten from the weekend. From Spain to Scotland and from Germany to Ireland. All of them will bring their best players under the age of sixteen to the club, in the shadow of Utrecht. Houten – with about a thousand members – has become a household name in the top hockey landscape. Its first senior teams will both play in the Overgangsklasse next season. The best youth teams in the national (pre)competitions.
The boys of the Netherlands Under 16. Photo: Willem Vernes
No baseball players, language English
But more importantly, Houten has become a regular venue for field hockey association events. Finals of the Silver Cup, the national Sevens championships and the NK Under 14, among others, were held here in recent years. In addition, the Orange Ladies used the association as a training location this year. ‘For next season the NK Trimhockey is already fixed,’ says Van der Deure. ‘The field hockey association approached us this fall, asking about the 8-nations tournament. That was assigned to the Netherlands and they were thinking of us as a venue.’
‘We wanted that,’ adds Bart van Thiel, board member for Youth and Performance. ‘So we showed that we can organize big events. There are two fairly new water fields here, both only a year and a half old. They are both equipped with a video tower. We fortunately have plenty of parking and, of course, are centrally located in the country. I imagine those factors all played a role in the allocation. Another plus: unlike the South, it’s not yet a vacation here. The club is still alive, everyone is still in the country.’
Organizationally, that also presented a challenge. For Houten is an omniclub and shares its accommodation with the local athletics and baseball association. ‘We asked months ago if they didn’t want to use the clubhouse next week. They were fine with that. They can of course use their own fields, but the clubhouse will soon be part of the tournament. Our biggest task was bar staffing. It has never happened before that we have the bar open from early to late for a week. Only we still have to get used to the fact that the main language of communication will be English.’
And the Girls Under 16. photo: Willem Vernes
‘We hope our youth will see what you can achieve in field hockey at a young age,’ says Van Thiel. ‘It’s an encouragement to keep going. Train hard and have fun. Because of course it is bizarre how well those children can play field hockey who will soon be standing here. We are aware that the greatest talents in Europe are standing here.’ After thinking for a moment: ‘Most of those who participate are fifteen or sixteen years old. In six years time they could be among the world’s best. We will certainly see some of them at the Olympic Games in 2032. Isn’t that great? Who doesn’t want that at their club?
Thijmen Peek, the pride of Houten
That a step to the national youth is really possible, proves Thijmen Peek. The pride of Houten. Their personal, sixteen-year-old signee from the Under 18-1. Especially next week. Peek is – as the only player of the club – selected for the tournament. ‘That of course makes the story for us even more beautiful. Thijmen is a real club boy, who has been through all the teams here,’ says Van der Deure. ‘I even coached him,’ Van Thiel echoes proudly. ‘At first we thought it was a pity that he started playing goalie, because he was also a good fielder. But in retrospect it was a fantastic move. I understand that he will be the first goalkeeper on his team. So we are going to see him in action a lot.’
Thijmen Peek, Houten’s tournament pride. Photo: Willem Vernis
It will – unfortunately for Houten – also be the last minutes of their top talent on their own field. Thijmen is going to Kampong after this season. There he can become goalkeeper at Boys Under 18-1. Too bad for us, but we grant it to him wholeheartedly. Hopefully we can give him the best possible farewell and let him leave here on Saturday with a gold tournament medal. That would make the week completely unforgettable.’
On Sunday, Monday and Wednesday the pool matches will take place in Houten. Friday (semifinals) and Saturday (finals) the battle for the medals is scheduled. Children up to twelve years old have free access. Twelve to seventeen-year-olds pay 2.50 euros admission. Adults pay 5 euros per day. A passe-partout for the whole week costs 20 euros. Check all the info on the field hockey.nl app under the heading ‘more’ and then ‘events.’
