Flying pucks, pungent skates, and hard-hitting action – this is the usual scene at ice hockey club Eindhoven Kemphanen. The club’s first team has been in superb form this season, currently sitting second in the premier league following several impressive victories.
“Any questions?” Coach Stefan Collard barks like a drill sergeant to his team in the Kemphanen dressing room. “No!” the players enthusiastically shout back in unison. It’s Wednesday evening, and the first team is gearing up for training, having just demolished Groningen 9-1 the previous Sunday.
This isn’t the first time the team has racked up a massive win. They also thrashed the Utrecht Dragons 11-2 the day before and have won their last four matches in commanding fashion. “We had solid preparation, clear agreements, and just a really great group. I think that’s why the good results have come,” Collard explained.
With their current form, the Kemphanen players are confident in their championship ambitions.
Success
That Collard’s team is performing so well could not have been expected a few years ago. Until recently, the Kemphanen were still playing in the first division, one level below, but have been back on the highest level since 2020.
The team’s success is also noticed outside the skating rink. ‘It hasn’t been as popular as it is now for the past decade,’ says the captain, Mike Verschuren. ‘A few years back, we still had 150 spectators sitting along the line and even then we said, ‘Well, it’s running well.’ But last Sunday was another quiet day and there were already 900 people sitting there,’ adds team coach Sjef Cuijpers.
International players
The success is partly due to the Scandinavian players who have joined the club since a few years, such as Sweden’s Jakob Karlsson, who with 45 goals ranks third in the premier league’s top scorer rankings. Despite the team still consisting of many Dutch youngsters from the region, the international players are warmly welcomed. ‘A few guys even invited the import players to their homes for Christmas,’ says Sjef Cuijpers.
The ambitions at the Kemphanen are big and they hope to continue this growth in the coming years. Despite the success, everyone at the team still has both feet firmly on the ground. ‘Let’s just take it one year at a time. We are doing well, the sport is fun to watch, it is starting to grow and who knows where we will end up.’
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta
