It felt like a huge surprise for Loïs van Vliet. The 17-year-old player of VOC is in the pre-selection of Orange for the first time. She found out in a striking way. “Suddenly I saw an email passing by and opened it on my phone. Only then did I realize that it was the longlist of the A-team.”
National coach Per Johansson of the women’s handball yesterday announced a shortlist with 35 names for the upcoming European Championship. To her own surprise, Van Vliet was also on it. “I did not expect that I would be there already. From the moment it was posted on Instagram, the apps poured in. It was especially a big surprise for me.”
After her election, she has not yet spoken to the national coach. “He was there at the World Cup under 20. That was at the end of June to the beginning of July. He did see me play there, but we didn’t really talk about Orange.”
Continue to develop
Van Vliet is honored with her election, but nothing changes for her. “I am one of the 35. It is nice that I am seen and that I am on the list. It is mainly a sign that I still have to develop, because I am now the fifth left corner player.”
The 17-year-old will play against VZV with the first team of the Amsterdam VOC tonight. “For me, that is as if there is nothing special. Of course we go for the win. For the next two years I want to continue to play handball in the Netherlands and hope that I can go abroad after that. Then I eventually want to be with the A-team of Orange. “