• A Dutch newspaper had an Interview with Lonneke Sloetjes. Some highlights:

    - In the beginning of March Scandicci started training again after a 5 days break, but the police came in and forced them to stop.

    - She said that the coronavirus is horrible for everyone involved, but looking at herself she doesn't mind so much about taking it easy for some time. She was by the skin of her teeth for quite some time already. A free period is more than welcome to her.

    - She considers to take a break from the national team, but she has to make the decision about that. She first wants to convinced that her feelings are 100% true.

    - She studies Business Administration but she putted it on the back burner. She want to think about her future.

    - Her contract at Scandicci expires this season and her choice for a new club depends on the whole corona situation. She is not desperate about a new club, she waits quietly and when no club comes to her, she fine with it as well.

  • - Her contract at Scandicci expires this season and her choice for a new club depends on the whole corona situation. She is not desperate about a new club, she waits quietly and when no club comes to her, she fine with it as well.

    She also says she doesn't want to play to far away from her home, so the rumor of her moving to China might be wrong?

  • Some top players look for non-volleyball challenges once they played high level on both NT and club level (she reached semis with NT at both OG and WCh, also she won CL so there is not many challenge left for her probably). I am curious how long players like Boskoviç, Zhu Ting and Egonu will play since they already won or will be winning soon every top trophy and titles.

  • For some players, it's not enough to win major trophies only once. They want to win every single trophy, as many times as possible. In other words, they don't compete only with contemporaries, but with history.

  • Dijkema about her transfer to Kaliningrad;

    She already signed before the coronacrisis. 2 years ago she got an offer from them as well. Last season she got an offer from Dinamo Moscow, maybe that's why the rumours were there. So she considered going to Russia for a few years already, but now she feels like she is ready for it

  • I do not know if it is possible to watch abroad, but in the coming weeks a Dutch volleyball game from the past would be broadcast every Saturday at 8.00 pm on volleybal.nl. 2 protagonists of that match will analyze the match, but you probably won't understand it because it's in Dutch😅


    The schedule looks like this:

    25 April = The Netherlands vs USA, Women World championship 2018

    2 May = Keizer-Meppelink vs Betschart-Hüberli Women Final European Championship beach volleyball 2018

    9 May = The Netherlands vs Brazil, Mens World Championship 2018

    16 May = Brouwer-Meeuwsen vs Ricardo-Filho, Men Final World Championship beach volleyball 2013

    23 May = The Netherlands vs Croatia, Final Women European Championship 1995

    30 May = The Netherlands vs Italy, Men Final World League 1996


    Here is the link for the first match with Dijkema and Plak:

    https://www.volleybal.nl/nieuw…ederland-verenigde-staten

  • Any has possibility to record and share this match?

    I will share the link when it's online!

  • I'm also excited for the match between The Netherlands vs Croatia, because I want to see the left hand of Elles Leferink in real action!:cheesy:

  • In the article below, Sloëtjes explains in detail how she came to her conclusion. I have tried to translate it as well as possible:


    Since she is back home in the Netherlands, it was time for reflection. During this period she thought a lot and analyzed what concerns her and what she achieved in recent years. She wrote down her thoughts: What do I want? What does my feeling say? She listened to that. And in this way she came to the conclusion to atleast take a break from volleyball till 2021.

    During this time there are a lot of negotiations for the next season, but all the options that passed by didn't feel right for her. Brazil and China were possibilities, but she doesn't want to be too far away from her family. Also she came to the conclusion that she no longer has joy in playing matches. Especially the mental aspect took a lot of energy. Her fighting spirit always made her want to compete again, but the pressure sometimes made her feel like she was almost broken. In the past year she noticed more and more that she puts herself under a lot of pressure to compete at the highest possible level. She always feel a lot of responsibility. She used to score a lot of points and she still wanted to be able to do that, but she got older so her body didn't cooperate .That was really confrontational for her. This decision was made with her heart and not with her head.

    Now she will enjoy her time in Holland and has started her study business administration again.


    https://www.omroepgelderland.n…-van-prachtige-Achterhoek


    I admire how she talks about her feelings and isn't scared to show them!:)

    On the other hand I feel worse now I know she could have played in brazil. Men I would have loved that!!!:cheesy:

  • Podcast with Jamie Morrison about his years as a headcoach in the Netherlands and his coaching style.


  • Dutch volleyball federation (NEVOBO) gives free clinics at primary schools.

    Robin de Kruijf is one of the instructors. Last saterday she came back from Italy. She finally felt freedom, Italy felt like a prison. She hopes they can start training with the Dutch NT in July, but Alberda wants all the players to rest and charge their battery. So he wants them to start training with their clubteams in September. Hope this will mean de Kruijf will keep playing for NT:cheesy:


    They still don't have a new headcoach...It is already clear to the federation how the candidate must look like. Due to the crisis, a lot can change with sponsors and that is why they wait to choose a new headcoach.

    Alberda will soon sit down with the volleyball players to discuss what they can learn from the past period to make the restart to the 2022 World Cup.

    https://nos.nl/artikel/2333700…ionals-in-op-scholen.html

  • the other part of it may be that with the national team since 2016, they were in the medal group in World Competitions. However, it just did not happen for them to really win things. Then 2019 collapse against Turkey 3-0 in the quarterfinals and then the World Cup in 8th.


    Throw in going from Vakifbank to a good team in Italy (not on Novara or Imoco) level and it could have a big effect on you saying, am I good enough....


    even taking a break from playing is good because she can reevaluate and determine for herself, do I want to travel? Is my body worn down? Do I want one more chance at the Olympics or World Champs? It is ok to ask those questions of yourself at different points in your life as a person and as a player.

  • As I promised, here is the link for the final of the European Championship in 1995^^

    I don't know if they show the whole match, because between the sets they talk about the game (in Dutch) with Elles Leferink and Cintha Boersma. I'm not able to watch it now, but defenitly watch it soon. Enjoy!


    https://www.volleybal.nl/nieuw…-finale-ek-volleybal-1995

  • I just watched the match.

    What a player Leferink was!!!:cheesy: She was just 1.76m, but had a good jump and such a strong left arm to make up for her height! Her jump serve:obey:

    Funny to see the middle blockers back than were the best receivers and defenders:lol: