Our Twinning initiative Sharing Knowledge continues! Nine European countries have been paired with Dutch clubs, supported by KNHB. November saw a few pairings get to work, with Poland, Czech Republic and Bulgaria sending groups to their partner clubs in The Netherlands.
Poland and Kampong
Poland visited their partner Kampong SV with their U16 boys and girls teams at the end of October (30 October – 2 November). Travelling by bus, the players arrived ready for three days of hockey. The first day, several top Kampong trainers put the Polish squads through their paces. The second day saw the youth Kampong teams join the training, with the Polish and Kampong coaches exchanging information and learning. Kampong JB1 played the Polish U16 Boys team, which resulted in a tight and exciting match, Kampong emerging victorious by one goal.
The third day saw the Polish group take their turn at coaching, by participating in the training session for the youngest Kampong members. The day ended with the Polish U16 girls meeting Kampong MB1 girls on the pitch, which resulted in a draw. The teams then boarded their bus for their long journey home.
Bulgaria and Athena HC
Bulgaria’s approach to twinning with Athena shaped their delegation: six youth players and three hockey coaches. From day one, they immersed themselves in the Dutch hockey culture, down to hiring bicycles to get around! Their five day stay (30 October – 2 November) saw a lot of cooperation and engagement from both sides.
The coaches joined Athena’s training, analysing matches and engaging in discussions with the Athena coaches. The players took part in trainings and spoke with volunteers, who are the core of Athena’s activities and success. The learning experience continued for five days and will be carried forward into next year.
Czech Republic and HOD
Czech hockey arrived in HOD and were met with a very warm welcome. The Czech group included staff who are responsible for Communications, Events and Trainer education. For three days, the Czech Hockey staff immersed themselves in HOD. Their first port of call was the events committee, where they were able to ask questions about how HOD plans, administrates and holds successful events. The next day, umpires and volunteers shared their knowledge with the Czech staff. The last day was spent discussing the youth development plan in place at HOD, and the internal club system LISA.
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Next year, some HOD representatives will visit Czech Republic and assess their working infrastructure.
After three days of fruitful discussions, learning new things and working together, the Czech staff returned home with renewed vigour to work on a development plan.
Sources: hockey.nl, Polish Hockey