De Wijn savouring every moment 10 years on from Kampong’s EHL gold
Sander de Wijn says he will savour every moment of SV Kampong’s latest EHL Men’s journey as they go in pursuit of a second title next week in Den Bosch.
He remains one of three links to the side that won their maiden title 10 years ago in Barcelona – Jip Janssen and Lars Balk are the others – to an indelible memory that comes more and more into focus now for the 35-year-old.
“As you get older and the final years of your career, it puts everything into perspective,” he told the EHL website. “This is not a normal competition and you don’t take those moments for granted.
“It’s always extra special to be play in the EHL and I have got to be aware this could always be my final moment, my final game.”
He joined the club in 2008, a sleeping giant at the time, one a long way off their halcyon days in the 1970s and 80s when they won the old EuroHockey Club Champions Cup.
Indeed, a year earlier, the Utrecht club had been in the second tier but de Wijn was attracted by the project they were putting together.
“I played with guys in the Dutch Under-21s like Constantijn Jonker, Quirijn Caspers, Klaas Vermeulen who was with them then. For me, it was quite obvious what I wanted.
“Kampong was still one of the biggest clubs in the world, but it wasn’t on the biggest stage at that time.
“Instead of joining a club team who were already top of the league, winning titles, I wanted to be the creator. The creator of something new, a new era, with a talented Dutch squad. So that’s why I joined and I was very lucky to play such a big role in the evolution of Kampong.”
It grew and grew with the addition of rising star Robbert Kemperman and Roderick Weusthof while, crucially, Alexander Cox tied things together on the coaching front – de Wijn had earlier been selected by Cox for the Dutch Under-16s when aged just 12.
He cites Laurence Doherty as the perfect signing at the right time in his career to impart knowledge to the like of Eric Bouwens, Sjoerd de Wert, Martijn Havenga and Pepijn Luijkx who believed in the dream. Goalkeeper David Harte was instrumental, too.
They qualified for the EHL for the first time in 2013, setting a then record 14-0 win over Stroitel Brest in their first game in Lille before beating Rot-Weiss Köln in what would soon become one of the EHL’s iconic rivalries.
That run ended at the KO16 stage; a year later they got to the KO8 before things all came together in the 2015/16 season.
Again, Rot-Weiss were in the way – a breathtaking 5-1 win at the Wagener Stadium put them through to the FINAL4 in Barcelona.
“I really loved the battles with Köln. So much respect between all the players, especially playing against Mats Grambusch who I was up against like almost my whole career! It was always such good fun.
“We were pretty pleased to face Atlètic in the semi-finals and knew we could make it to the finals. There was all the stories coming together – Ramon Alegre was a club legend, making maybe his last fight for the club close to his home.”
They set up a GRAND FINAL battle with AH&BC Amsterdam, a 2-0 victory highlighted by a sublime Bjorn Kellerman pass to Caspers whose delicious lob broke the deadlock. Jonker completed the win in the dying moments.
“Of course, everyone remembers those but for me, what stands out in my memory is Sjoerd [de Wert] saving two off the line, one from Justin Reid-Ross, one from Robert Tigges. Those made the difference.
“I also remember like 500 Kampong supporters came over for that final. That was something unreal, especially the party afterwards. It was the same day Max Verstappen won his first Grand Prix with Red Bull in Barcelona that same day. I will never forget that.
“It felt like the day was written in the stars.”
Looking to this year, with 11 EHL campaigns behind him, de Wijn admits his relationship with the competition has evolved with further silver medals coming in 2018 and 2024.
“Through our golden years, I wouldn’t say we took it for granted, but it felt more normal. We were always in the top three of the Hoofdklasse. EHL was guaranteed.”
“You put everything more into perspective. You feel it’s extra special. It’s absolutely not for granted that we’ll play it next year.”
With his 36th birthday around the corner, he knows each appearance could be among his last.
“I don’t know how many more years I have left. So this Easter, we put everything on the line.”
The EHL, once routine, is now a privilege, perhaps even a final chapter in a remarkable career. Indeed, after Sunday’s 5-3 loss to Bloemendaal, the playoff places are 10 points away with six rounds of the Hoofdklasse remaining.
Despite the difficult league season, though, their 5-0 dismantling of a star-studded Braxgata in the KO8 following a 4-2 win over Real Club de Polo suggests they cannot be underestimated, especially in one-off games.
“Our peaks are still very high. I truly believe we can beat any top team. A couple of senior players left or retired last summer and so we have invested in young, talented guys so there is a transition. It does mean there is a fluctuation.”
Janssen’s injury soon after the KO16 also had an impact but he is now back to bring stability and experience.
Crefelder HTC await in the FINAL8, a side they know intimately from preseason fixtures over the past few seasons and also a side not reaching the heights that saw them win the German title last season.
“It can make or break your season. If we get everything together, we can win for sure. They’ll say the same.”
There’s also a personal subplot: possibly facing Niklas Wellen again.
“Playing simple is hard, and he’s a masterpiece at it. I always love playing him. The way he plays in such an easy way but so effectively at such a high speed, not doing crazy dribbles, actions or movements, but really playing simple.”
It is exactly the type of battle he relishes 10 years on from Kampong’s greatest EHL moment.
“I’m still keen. And this Easter, we put everything on the line.”
The post De Wijn savouring every moment 10 years on from Kampong’s EHL gold first appeared on EHL.