Croon and Bloemendaal calmly plotting bid for EHL title
Jorrit Croon says a recent reality check results-wise in the Hoofdklasse have provided Bloemendaal with some important lessons ahead of their bid for another EHL title.
The sparrows set a blistering pace before Christmas, dropping only two points, to build a healthy lead. But since the restart after the winter-break, surprising losses to SCHC, Klein Zwitserland along with a 3-1 defeat to Rotterdam has seen AH&BC Amsterdam overtake them with Den Bosch also closing in.
But Croon says there is no sense of any panic button being pushed as they remain very much in contention for titles.
“We obviously had a great first half of the season, without a defeat,” he said. “We expected and hoped to continue that streak after the winter, but straight away we bumped into a loss.
“We stayed calm even though it was quite a tough time, but we took the lessons out of it for the really big games coming up.
“It is sometimes quite hard if you do not win games but it also matters in what way you lose a game. Did you perform well or did you just play really s**t? Is it a loss that is the outcome of a not so good process?
“It’s all about the details at the top level. 95 to 97% of what we did was really good. But we were lacking a bit in the last few percent – and that’s what makes the difference.”
On the EHL stage, having won three EHL crowns in a row between 2021 and 2023, the Dutch giants return to the FINAL8 stage looking to find those extra percent, particularly after missing out last season.
It begins against Spanish champions Club de Campo in their FINAL8 showdown (Thursday, 19.30 CET) with Croon hoping to reprise their 3-0 win from 2022.
He fondly recalls their previous encounter with the Madrid side: “It’s always a great EHL vibe against a top team like Campo. They’re a quality team and it’s nice to play someone different from our Dutch league. It’s a chance to show Europe how good we are.”
For Croon, it’s also a personal mission after missing a large chunk of the season through injury. He played through the pain in the Olympic semi-final and final, receiving injections to numb his ankle – with the high of the gold medal tempered by the payoff of a six-month lay-off.
“It was in the end all worth it to get the gold medal, of course but it was then really a tough time for me after the Olympics to be out for half a year and to not be captaining the team from the beginning straight away.
“It was really tough. I wanted to be part of the new start with Michel van den Heuvel right away. Bloemendaal means a lot to me – it’s a special team and when you wear that jersey, you want to give 100%. That all-in mentality is what drives us.”
Post-injury, he found peace – and perspective – on a trip to Namibia before Christmas, a rare break having been on the club and international treadmill for over a decade.
“It was a great way to end a rough period,” he says with a laugh. “The people, the nature, the way of life there – it was so easy-going. No rush, no stress. When the sun goes down, you go to bed. When it comes up, you wake up. It helped me start again with a big smile.”
And now, that smile is back as Bloemendaal prepare for another shot at EHL glory. “We’re ready,” Croon says simply. “We want to show what Bloemendaal hockey is all about.”
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