Maartje Krekelaar is already celebrating her tenth national title with HC ‘s-Hertogenbosch on Thursday. For 29-year-old Udense, the championship match against SCHC went differently than she had hoped. At the end of the game, she fell out injured, where she feared just before the worst. The damage was not too bad, but partying was difficult before consuming a few drinks. “Hossen did not go well for me.”
The moment Maartje lay on the floor, the camera went to her teammate Laura Nunnink who was attentive spectator. Last Saturday she was seriously injured in the first game against SCHC and is expected to be out for a year. Given the pain that could be read on Maartje’s face, there was also a fear of a serious injury this time.
“Suddenly I felt pain in my calf and I was shocked. After that I also felt the pain in both my shin and the other calf. Then I soon knew that it was just cramp. I never had a cramp during a game, no idea how it is possible. Maybe it was the combination of tension and many playing minutes.”
The Udense had to be changed and saw along the side that her team won the national title by beating SCHC with shoot-outs. “I was part of the list for the shoot-outs and wanted to take my responsibility. Unfortunately I couldn’t take a step anymore. That then the young generation was ready to take over, I can only enjoy that.”
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Afterwards Maartje went on the shoulders with her teammates while thanking the Bossche public. “When I was lifted, the cramp almost shot in again,” she says laughing.
It was already her tenth national title, but according to the former international a special one. “I still can’t believe it. Everyone says that we have to take the title, but for us that is absolutely not normal. Every year it is hard work and fighting for results. For this season we can only be satisfied with a championship, cup and European prize. Only in the hall we won, that’s a nice goal for next year.”
The player who made the Bossche goal at the 1-1 draw was someone you may not expect that quickly. Rosa Fernig shot out of a penalty corner and also played a strong game in the back. “It was a very exciting competition. I am very happy that we won, the atmosphere was not normally good.”
The Tilburgse could not immediately celebrate a party afterwards, because the press and supporters approached her en masse. “Normally journalists don’t want to speak to me, but now they all come. I like to experience. And then all those children who ask for a signature. Super, I make time for everyone. That party comes later, the day takes a long time.”