Springfield, Ohio – When Wittenberg University Field Hockey Head Coach Kelley Hubbell was considering options for the program’s first offseason training trip since she took the reins in 2010, the destination was almost obvious.
Hubbell will lead 15 Tiger student-athletes on a seven-day trip through The Netherlands, a country that is home to numerous former Wittenberg field hockey players, in addition to three incoming students for the 2015-16 school year. Field hockey is one of the most popular sports in The Netherlands, a European nation of nearly 17 million people bordered by Belgium and Germany, and it is home to the No. 1-ranked women’s national team and the No. 2-ranked men’s national team in the latest world rankings.
“Dr. Linda Arena (Wittenberg field hockey head coach for 16 years) took her teams to Bermuda, and I am excited to re-start the tradition of providing international playing and cultural experiences for the field hockey program,” said Hubbell, who has an overall record of 47-47 in five seasons leading the Tigers. “In addition to being a great opportunity for our student-athletes to grow, this will be a wonderful way to stay connected with our former Dutch teammates.
“Including the upcoming 2015 season, we have been fortunate to have 11 players from The Netherlands join us during my tenure, as well as a few prior to my arrival. Each has made a long-standing impact on the field, as teammates and leaders in the program, and continues to be lifelong friends with their Tiger teammates.”
The trip includes plans to dine with former players and their families, including Eva van Dijkman, who played for Wittenberg in 2013, and Perrine van Loef, who played for Wittenberg in 2014. Hubbell said she arranged the opportunities to interact with alumni and incoming recruits in order to give the trip a much-needed “personal touch.”
The Tigers will leave for The Netherlands on Wednesday, May 20, and they will spend the majority of their week abroad in the historic city of Amsterdam, with sightseeing and cultural opportunities also scheduled in Ghent, Belgium, and Rotterdam. In addition, the team will participate in a bicycle tour across the Dutch countryside and a canal cruise in Amsterdam.
Just as importantly, the Tigers have a training session with Dutch coaches and three games scheduled against local club teams. Hubbell hopes the playing opportunities will have a positive impact on the Tigers’ 2015 season, which kicks off with a home date against Washington and Jefferson on Tuesday, Sept. 1 on the newly installed artificial turf at Edwards-Maurer Field.
“There is no better place in the world for field hockey competition right now,” Hubbell said. “This playing experience will only be enhanced by the global perspective our players will gain with immersion into Dutch life. Sites like the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum, as well as a visit to the small, historic village of Ghent that maintains ancestral traditions will be a great way for our student-athletes to embrace many aspects of Wittenberg University’s mission.
“The players and coaches are very excited for this adventure to raise our level of play, bring our field hockey family closer together and further enhance the Wittenberg experience.”
Wittenberg is coming off a 2014 season that included records of 9-11 overall and 7-7 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Hubbell has 15 returning letterwinners participating in the international excursion, including Laura Jansing, class of 2017, who will join the traveling party after spending the second semester of the 2014-15 school year studying in Wittenberg, Germany.
Hubbell and her team have raised money for the trip by working concession stands during National Hockey League games and concerts at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, frequently in recent years. The rest of the costs associated with the trip are paid by the student-athletes and their families.
The annual fundraising activities add to the student-athletes’ already busy schedules during each school year, but Hubbell said the sacrifices are worth it and there is great enthusiasm heading into the international excursion. She plans to chronicle the trip by utilizing social media, which will be displayed on the team’s website upon the team’s return.
Written By: Ryan Maurer