While the Dutch water polo women are already hustling on the sidelines on Saturday evening, national coach Evangelos Doudesis remains in the pool for a while. Enjoying it, with a big smile on his face.
Shortly before, he was pulled into the water, fully clothed, by his players, as is customary in water polo after a winning tournament. With his elbows on the side, he watches his team celebrate the European title, after a thriller in the final against Spain that was decided 8-7 with only six seconds left.
Again against Spain, just like six months earlier, at the World Cup final in Fukuoka, Japan. Even then it was a thrilling match. The Netherlands also won then, that time after a penalty shootout.
And this makes the second title in a row for the water polo women on Saturday evening in Eindhoven. That should give a lot of confidence, six months before the Summer Games in Paris. Although, strangely enough, there is also a World Cup in Doha on the agenda first, in just over two weeks. A consequence of the corona pandemic, which has created a reservoir of major tournaments in swimming.
Only seven weeks ago, the European Championships, which were originally supposed to take place in Netanya, Israel, were rushed to the Netherlands because of the war in Israel. This way, the Dutch women can play in front of their own audience on Saturday evening. About 2,000 people were in the stands of the Pieter van den Hoogenband pool in Eindhoven, including former swimmers Ranomi Kromowidjojo, her husband Ferry Weertman and Pieter van den Hoogenband himself.
The Dutch team started the European Championship with great ease, up to the quarter-finals, where they defeated Great Britain (25-6) with ease. The game is played as coach Doudesis envisions: with dominance and confidence. Real opposition only presents itself in the semi-finals, against Italy. A difficult match with few goals, just as Doudesis had predicted in advance. It was also a pretty tough match. Dragging, kicking, heads being pushed under water and an early red card for the Italian Claudia Roberta Marletta, as punishment for grabbing the Dutch Nina ten Broek by the throat. Final score 7-6 for the Netherlands. Exciting until the end, with Lieke Rogge who managed to prevent Italy’s equalizer in the final seconds.
Neck and neck
The final against Spain is also neck and neck. The Netherlands trailed 1-2 after the first quarter. But Doudesis’ team becomes stronger and takes the lead, although Spain always manages to equalize until the end. The decision only comes in the very last seconds, when Bente Rogge, Lieke’s older sister, scores the decisive goal.
Rogge actually wanted to be substituted shortly before, she told NOS afterwards. But Doudesis wanted to keep her as a weapon because of her good shot. “I just thought: if you give me confidence, I will stay in the water. We had to remain patient and wait for the biggest opportunity. We had emphatically not agreed who would shoot on goal. It is true that those who were given a chance had every confidence to go all out. If it didn’t hit, that was fine too.”
After the medal ceremony, the Dutch women, wearing orange training jackets and bunches of tulips in hand, crowded together for a selfie. Just like in Fukuoka, made by captain Sabrina van der Sloot. It looks cozy. And it is, the players regularly say in the media. The atmosphere in the team has been good since the Greek Doudesis became national coach, Van der Sloot told NRC after the previous World Cup. “I think everyone on this team feels valued and in their place.”
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Mutual respect
Doudesis emphasizes mutual respect: everyone is equal, from veteran to rookie. “I have said from the beginning: no one is more important than the team,” Doudesis himself said. In addition, Doudesis gives players more space to chart their own career path. With that promise he brought the outstanding goalkeeper Laura Aarts back to the Dutch team. Aarts had previously retired from the Dutch team, because Doudesis’ predecessor Arno Havenga did not give her the opportunity to play and study at a top foreign club.
There are more examples: captain Van der Sloot, very important for the team, is also given some time off by the national coach to do an internship. And Lieke Rogge recently told in the A.D how she found the joy of playing again under Doudesis, while in preparation for ‘Tokyo’ she “reluctantly went to the swimming pool every day”.
The space that players get is not only good for themselves, the team also gets a lot in return, Doudesis said in the interview with NRC. Players are “calmer in their heads, more focused. The freedom you give creates trust and a safe culture.”
Circumstances, as it turns out, in which the team wins its second title in a row. And that in an Olympic year. But before ‘Paris’ arrives, it is time for that wonderful World Cup in Doha. Already on February 4, the water polo women are in the pool for their first match. And not just any one: the program includes the American team, the Olympic champions from Tokyo.