Herman Kruis from Bavel has a rich history as a coach at Brabant hockey clubs. certainly in Den Bosch, but has only been the national coach of the Belarus women’s hockey team for the past six years. These are very tumultuous times for him. “But I don’t stand for the country. I stand for those girls.”
Belarus is Russia’s only ally in the war in Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine with great violence, including through the border with Belarus.
terrible time
“It’s a terrible time,” he says. “Because it is war, but also because of the consequences for everyone. I had a lot of contact last week, including with Ukrainians. Yes, this is terrible.”
The clubs in Belarus just train. “There are many Ukrainian players who also play in Belarus. Those teams share the suffering. That certainly has an impact on the game, but it does not stand in the way of the players. They help each other.”
For that matter, Kruis does not say that he is ‘in the service of the country’. “I am hired when there is a tournament. For now they are banned from playing at international level. That is a fair rule, I think.”
Sanctions
He doesn’t see himself as ‘in service’ anyway. Rather like a worker who is always available to help ‘his girls’. “I want to be associated with those girls. Not with the country. That’s what I stand for.”
Kruis still finds the issue of those sanctions difficult. Does he feel pressure, also from outside, as sanctions and negative sentiment surrounding Belarus are mounting? For example, athletes from Belarus and Russia do not participate in the Paralympic Games.
“Yes, of course I feel that pressure. And as long as those sanctions are there, I support those sanctions. But realize: you also punish the people who have nothing to do with it and do not want the war. That makes it difficult.”
Statement
For the time being, Kruis has not made a statement by saying that Belarus no longer needs to call him. “I want to improve hockey in the world. It has to become a global sport. Those girls want the same.”
“I’ve been there for six years. I already know how they feel. They are against this war. They also just want to live in an independent Belarus in peace. They want to learn to play hockey and see the world, but in a good way. way.”