In November, our Field Hockey Manager, Marle, embarked on a truly special trip to the USA. You may have already followed all the updates on our social media during that time, but in this blog post, we will take a look back at her journey. She visited various universities, had conversations with coaches, and attended the Field Hockey Final Four (National Championship) matches.
The trip started in Newark, New Jersey, where Slamstox athlete Marique Dieudonné set out with her team from Rutgers for the first round of the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to meet her during this time. Afterward, Marle continued her journey to Fairfield University, where she enjoyed a delightful tour of the beautiful campus and had a chance to catch up with Slamstox athlete Dominique van der Zee.
After Fairfield, the itinerary included Yale University! During an extensive tour of the beautiful campus, Marle even had the honor of encountering Yale’s iconic mascot, “Handsome Dan.” Unfortunately, Slamstox Athlete Fenne Mulder had already returned home for Thanksgiving. On that same day, Marle was also welcomed at Quinnipiac University, where she explored the scenic campus nestled in the hills of Connecticut and had the opportunity to see Slamstox tennis player Dominique Yeo at her new university.
Through Philadelphia, with visits to Temple University (Mathea Lasalle), Drexel University (Pien van Elsen), and Saint Joseph’s University (Marith Bijkerk), Marle arrived in Richmond, Virginia. To add to the excitement, she had an extensive visit to her alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University.
From Richmond, the journey continued towards Durham and Chapel Hill in North Carolina to attend the Final Four. This tournament features the top four teams in America. This year, the participating teams were Duke University (with Slamstox Athlete Josephine Veen), Northwestern University, University of Virginia, and UNC Chapel Hill (with Jasmina, the sister of our field hockey specialist Eva Smolenaars).
Ultimately, Duke fell short in the semifinals. However, this setback provided Josephine with the opportunity to give a tour of the magnificent Duke sports facilities and campus.
The eventual “National Champion” was UNC Chapel Hill in a double overtime/shootouts thriller against Northwestern. Check below for the highlights of the match.
After a smoothly conducted return journey, Marle can’t wait to use all the newly acquired information and connections to better assist all Slamstox athletes! Where should she visit next time? Let us know! And if you, like these top athletes, also want to combine your sport and studies in America, fill out this form, and we will contact you.
