So when thinking about how to write this article, I thought it may be of interest to other hockey players to hear if some insight from a number of players that have played, or are currently playing, in Holland. I asked them to express their feelings about life and hockey in Holland. It was interesting the information I received.

Below is a selection of the comments I received:

“How would you describe your experience playing hockey in Holland?”

Brent Livermore currently plays in Holland, in Eindhoven, for Oranje Zwart. He was the center half for the Australian Bronze Medal team at the Sydney Olympics. Since arriving here in Holland with two other Australian Internationals, he has helped Oranje Zwart to one of its best seasons ever. They sit number one with expectations to win the playoffs starting next month.

”Ignoring the sub zero training sessions, I have enjoyed the match celebrations, the
opportunity to have a holiday in Europe, and the tough contests week in week
out. Hockey in Holland has been a very valuable experience for me as a whole.

It has allowed me to develop as a player and a person. It has given me very valuable
insight to the playing styles in Europe.

Unfortunately, some players, umpires, supporters, and officials do not seem to be welcoming
foreign players with open arms. However, the majority of people, especially here in the south,
 at OranjeZwart, are very welcoming, offering us never-ending support, guidance and help.”

James Elmer has recently retired from International duty with the Australian National Team. He also earned a bronze medal at the Syndey Olympics. He now finds himself living in Holland playing for HGC in Den Hague.

”Having been to Holland before I was well aware of  the things to expect on
arrival. The people are friendly and very helpful, and my lack of ability in speaking
the Dutch language is not a problem. As for the hockey, it is a very competitive league.
The one thing that stands out in my mind is the great atmosphere around the club. 
I have had some problems with my visa status and recommend sorting out all the papered
details well before you move to Holland. So, if you get the chance to come here and
play, do so because it will change your whole perspective about hockey on and off the
field. And yes you may even have some fun while you're here.”

Tara Browne is a goalie on the Irish National Team. She played this year for HGC in Den Hague, The Netherlands. Recently she has left Holland to join the Irish team in their preparation for the World Cup Qualifier.

”Being a keeper I think I offer a different view to being a foreigner in a foreign league. 
After playing the preseason as the number one keeper I was assigned the number two role
for the majority of the season. This obviously became very frustrating but as the training
was more intensive and the players were of a higher skill level than our club players at
home in Ireland, I felt it was worth staying. I believe the benefits outweighed the
downfalls and I have improved during my year in Holland.  I was a disappointed with the club support I
received regarding the promised assistance in finding a job. The one bit of advice I would give to EU
 residents if thinking of going to Holland to play; is to have something in the way of work
organized prior to moving . Overall I had a good year with lots of good training
 and I met lots of great people.”

Peter Milkovich has played over 250 International matches for Canada. He recently captained the Canadian team at the Sydney Olympic Games. Peter has played in the top leagues in Holland, Australia, and currently plays in England. Here are his comments on the Dutch league:

”Playing in the Hoofdklasse will always hold great memories for myself as it
was my intention to learn as much as possible about the Dutch system of
hockey. I have learned from my experience that the Dutch are leading the
hockey world because of their competitive and demanding league in which
great emphasis is placed on training and coaching at all levels. The only real
comparison is the Australian NHL which is also of great quality.

Although I had difficulty with work permits I made several great contacts
during my time there and have successfully been recruited by one of those contacts
in my life after hockey. The hockey family in Holland are great people and I enjoyed
 my time at SCHC. Thankfully the Dutch are as good at playing the 'third period' (partying)
as they are the first two because if they took the game any more seriously no one
would ever beat them.

Peter Taylor is currently playing his second season at HGC. He comes to Holland from Tamworth, Australia, and played for the Australia U-21 squad.

“Experiencing life and hockey in another country, such as Holland, has been fantastic, as well an
eye opener. Playing and training consistently at a high level would definitely improve
anyone's game. The social life around the hockey is something that should also not be missed.
People here are very friendly and know how to have a good time!!  The only advice to
others thinking of playing abroad is to make sure you have the appropriate visa and
all negotiations with the club are written down.”

 David Yule is a Canadian International player who has played two seasons at HGC in Holland, and is currently living and playing in Belfast, Ireland.

“Moving to Holland to live and play for two seasons was an experience in
which there were many ups and downs. I met some friends that I will
always keep, and of course had an experience which taught me a lot about
hockey. In times where work was scarce, time passed slowly, and I wondered
"What am I doing here?".  While the intentions of the club were positive and
admirable, at times the organization within the club (and other clubs where
foreigners played) was not silky smooth - and things often took
much longer to sort out than hoped.  Having said that, I will not
forget the generosity of the club at times, especially when we moved into a new
flat and were outfitted with everything we needed to live simply through
generous club members giving things away for their foreign boys.

The hockey was all that I had hoped for...lots of training, great coaching,
high intensity and a very competitive atmosphere both between teams
and within the team.  I found myself fighting for a place in the lineup
every week. There is an actual hockey culture which we all became part of,
and there is a general love for parties and good times. I would recommend
it to anyone”

With these comments and other people I have spoken to it is obvious that much value is gained by moving away to play hockey. Whether it is Germany, Australia, Ireland, Holland or England, players generally speak highly of their different experiences.

Being in Holland for three years now I have spoken to many of the foreigners that have come and gone from the Dutch Hoofdklasse. I have heard stories of beautiful apartments to disappointing apartments, lots of money to no money, and stories where agreements have been achieved and agreements that have failed. Almost all of the players speak of good hockey and good people.

In closing, for those who may be considering a move to any of the hockey leagues around the world……………I hope this article will encourage and advise you in your choice.

Here is a list composed of some of  the players who have played or are currently playing abroad: (Home Country, Name, Club, Country played in)
If you know of any other international players who have competed for clubs abroad, please contact Andrew@planetfieldhockey.com and we will add them to the list.

Switzerland

Christian Cavallet          Den Bosch, The Netherlands

Australia

Andrew Meredith           HCKZ, The Netherlands

Joel Hughes                HGC, The Netherlands

Paul Lewis                   HGC, The Netherlands

Peter Taylor                 HGC, The Netherlands

Mathew Smith              Roma, Italy

Brent Livermore            Oranje Zwart, The Netherlands

Troy Elder                    Oranje Zwart, The Netherlands

Michael Brennan         Oranje Zwart, The Netherlands

Jay Stacy                    Oranje Zwart, The Netherlands

Alyson Annan               HCKZ, The Netherlands

Brooke Morrison           Laren, The Netherlands

Allison Lippy                HGC, The Netherlands

James Elmer                HGC, The Netherlands

Canada

Rick Roberts               Hamburg,Germany

Rob Short                   HGC, The Netherlands

David Yule                  HGC, The Netherlands

                                 Belfast,Ireland

Peter Milkovich          SCHC, The Netherlands

                                Old Loughtonians, England

            Andrew Griffiths         Old Loughtonians, England

                                            Sheffield, England

            Hari Kant                 Old Loughtonians, England

                                            Stuttgaart, Germany

            Scott Sandison          Old Loughtonians, England

Ian Bird                     HDM, The Netherlands

Scott Smith               Old Loughtonians, England

Karen MacNeil           Pinoke, The Netherlands

LauraLee Kopeck       Pinoke, The Netherlands

                                Hamburg,Germany

Anna Grimes             Pinoke, The Netherlands

Amy Macfarlane        Pinoke, The Netherlands

Pakistan

            Sohail Abbas            Amsterdam, The Netherlands

            Mohammed Usman   HGC, The Netherlands

            Shabaz Ahmed         Oranje Zwart, The Netherlands

Spain

            Juan Escarre            Old Loughtonians, England

South Africa

            Bruce Jacobs           Rotterdam, The Netherlands

            Jody Paul                 Rotterdam, The Netherlands

            Clye Abrahams         Rotterdam, The Netherlands

New Zealand

            Mike Beauin              SCHC, The Netherlands

Argentina

            Max Caldas              HCKZ, The Netherlands

Scotland

            Phil Webster            HCKZ, The Netherlands

            Calum Wood            HCKZ, The Netherlands

            Grahme Joyce          HCKZ, The Netherlands

                                           Southgate ,England

            Lawrence Docherty   HCKZ, The Netherlands

England

            Russell Garcia          HDM, The Netherlands

                                           Harvestehuder, Germany

            Julian Halls              HDM, The Netherlands

            Calum Giles             Laren, The Netherlands

Ireland

            Tara Browne             HGC, The Netherlands

Trinidad and Tobago

            Kwan Browne           Den Bosch, The Netherlands

                                          Southgate, England

                                           Canterbury, England                

  The Netherlands

            Maarten Burger        Darwin, Australia

            Teun de Nooijer        Harvestehuter, Germany

If you know of any other international players who have competed for clubs abroad, please contact Andrew@planetfieldhockey.com and we will add them to the list.