NL Ladies at Tom’s Tourney

Report written by Ingeborg Kuijlaars; Pictures by Get Horizontal’s Wouter Struyf.

For the Dutch National Women’s team Tom’s Tourney was a weekend of firsts: our first tournament playing as a team crammed with personal team successes and struggles. The two first games also brought in our first two losses against strong Danish and Swiss National Teams. Our game against the Danish was a difficult search for our offensive connections. We went down early, yet our focus brought us several scores towards the end to soften the blow of defeat: 4-8. The Swiss were a more merciless opponent earlier on taking a quick 0-4 lead. Thereafter we managed to find to a greater extent our offensive flow and roughly traded points to make it 7-12 after time. Our final game of the day became our first win. Playing against Mantis our D-line, already working hard for us in previous game, really got into the zone (we literally tried a new zone in this game and it worked really well) and basically won us this game. Their three point run gave us a nice buffer and enabled us to secure a final score of 12-8.

Our final pool match took place on Saturday morning. Our match against the Irish National Team would be to many our best game of the weekend. Not only was this our first win against a fellow national team (spoilers: there was another one!), but this was also perhaps the game in which we could most clearly see what beautiful things our offense was capable of. Now clearly our ambition to do well at Tom’s was from a team-building point of view, but our two victories did secure us the third place finish in our pool and kept us in contention for a 9^th place finish. We carried our victory against Mantis and came out victorious against Micz. We took a lead early on despite a shaky zone defense. Micz proved unfazed by our man-defense however, so we switched back to a few different zones and capitalized on their few misfires to take the victory 10-6. Our next opponent Tequila Boom Boom simply outclassed us. We struggled to curb their deap threat and overthrows on offense added to Tequila’s dominant victory: 6-14.

Our final match of the day was our quarterfinal in the 9-16 bracket against the Danes, this time the Masters edition. The joint dancing warm-up set the right tone for what would become an intense match. After an even start the Danish side utilized their killer inside breaks to take a three point lead. Adjusting our defense we fought back; and while momentum seemed to be on our side, we ran out of time to turn our come-back into a victory. This loss put us in the 13-16 bracket and had us facing the Spanish National Team the following morning. We took the lead against a very passionate Spanish side. Although they threatened to come back throughout the entire match, points tended to fall our way accumilating to a decisive 8-3 victory. Had Tilt, a fellow Dutch women’s team, won their match against Micz that morning, it would have been an orange battle for 13^th place. However Tilt lost that match on universe, so we would face Micz yet again and test the well known saying that you cannot beat the same team twice at the same tournament. Micz was on fire from the start of this tense match and took the lead. The Dutch were working hard to realize their come-back when a seemingly clean handblock by Valentijn and resultant Callahan score by Becs was undone with a foul call. This denied goal might have given the Dutch an upper hand in their struggle for victory. Instead Micz remained on top and pulled away for a decisive 5-9 victory. The Dutch National Women’s team ended 14^th.

This final loss was definitely difficult to stomach, even with the Swiss chocolate provided by a much improved performance in Micz’s spirit game to soften the ache. We circled up one last time that weekend and were reminded to look past this particular defeat at the successes of this weekend. Both on and off the field we had grown as a team. (We didn’t know it at the time, but we had done so showing solid spirit: 3^rd place finish!) Granted, there is plenty of room for improvement; but Tom’s has shed light on where we are and where we want to go. Most importantly, our work at Tom’s has brought forward a lot of important insight into how we can get there.

Next on the agenda: the 23^rd of May. This will be a full day with team-building excercises, a training, and the exciting prospect of a 19:30showcase game against the French National Women’s Team. With similar goal differences against the same Tom’s Tourney opponents (although the French fared better against the Swiss), it will be interesting to see what happens when these two teams meet in two weeks time. Come cheer us on to victory!

King’s night is for the ladies – NL dames training report 27 april

Last Saturday the Dutch Women’s team had another exciting training in Amsterdam. Armed this time with two coaches, Sjoerd and Trish, we set to work on what we had been fairly forewarned would be an intensive afternoon.

The afternoon kicked of with a short team meeting to discuss strategy. Coach Sjoerd made short work of explaining his take on life, the universe, but mainly women’s ultimate in the Netherlands. In a few sentences and pen strokes he outlined our team’s strategy and the logic behind it. Then we were shoo’ed onto the field ready to start the day.

This no-nonsense strategy talk set the tone for the day. Even the warm-up was intense with focus points pushing us to be dominant from the get go. Each drill was succinctly explained with good focus points; and we were given little time to dwell on bad habits which swift feedback from both Sjoerd and Trish set out to do away with. It was a thrillingly tough afternoon with neither coach accepting any slacking during drill time. In truth we don’t have a lot of time until Copenhagen to become the team we need to be. So the pressure to start performing now was perfect. All sprints were full speed and even the drill demonstrations featured lay-outs.

The deep defense drill especially was found to be both physically and mentally challenging. With everyone so accustomed to cutting in and the defense therefore so used to defending under, it was quite a shift when both parties had to do the exact opposite: cut deep with a defender forcing you under. This drill furthermore nicely illustrated the team’s impressive hucking power. With many of our “just a cutter” players also throwing it very long indeed.

Player rotation within and between drills allowed us to play with and against most of the women on the team. This training was also the first time we played in our newly defined offense and defense lines: an exciting moment. Line chemistry increased from point to point. The o-line tinkered with their various strategies; and the d-line experimented with a new zone look.

The focus and intensity of the training really stand out. And under it all there was an undercurrent of excitement as we made our final preparations for Tom’s Tourney this coming weekend.

Women’s update – 11 april

On the 11th of April the women’s team assembled in Amsterdam for practice. Overcast skies, high winds and light showers to start set the tone for a difficult yet rewarding practice. Led by Trish York, we were treated to an offense focused training. After being awed by the sheer wealth of experience implied by Trish’ short introduction of herself as a coach and a trainer, we introduced ourselves to our new trainer, and thereby also got a bit better acquainted with our teammates.

With the coming of rain it was time to get moving. Not with a conventional jogging based routine but with a cutting drill, interesting. The training as a whole had a new pacing for many of us. Instead of one game to finish; scrimmages were interspersed throughout the training, allowing us to implement each lesson we learned directly into a game context. And while the first scrimmage was a bit messy, the second scrimmage saw significantly smoother offenses while the unpredictable winds fueled the game’s overall intensity.

From deep throws to dump throws, a general sweep of all things offense was covered giving us all much food for thought and further development as the season progresses. A successful training, leaving us all glowing under a nice sheen of sweat. With two more weeks of fitness under our belts we now eagerly anticipate this week Sunday’s training which will have a more defensive flavor to it. And beyond that, Tom’s Tourney.

Ups and Downs of Pool Play; Day 2 Report

When we last left you our heroes in Orange had 2 wins, 1 loss, and were looking to push their way towards the top 4 in their pool as day 2 of the WCBU began.

The weather, unsurprisingly, was hot, hotter than anything we ever see back in Amsterdam, and also just hotter than the first day of the tournament. Not that hot days in the desert is a big surprise, but March in Dubai can sometimes be merciful. But not on this day. Our first opponent as the sun made its way over the skyscrapers in Jumeirah Beach Residence; Germany.

Germany mixed were another team that had gotten the better of our squad during a preparation tournament in Portugal last month. It was clear even then that the road to success meant getting past them and that was certainly a goal. Along with Canada they had established themselves at the top of the pool after day 1 and were looking strong. The first half turned out to be a good one for the Netherlands, after coming back from an early 2-0 deficit, the crew came back and took the lead a few times only to have Germany get it back each time. In the last 20 minutes of the game, despite throwing everything they had at them, the German D caught fire and put up several unanswered points leading to the final result: NL 7 DE 10.  A disappointing loss that also meant a major setback on the quest to top 4 in their pool.

Spirit Circle at the end of a challenging day.

After a long break and a rare opportunity to watch some of the many many games going on all around us, in the evening it was time to face off with the Czech Republic. Not unlike the GB Mixed team, these guys had also had some difficult losses and some positive results as well. As they so often say in this game – anything was possible and NED would make sure to put everything they had into this match.  After a scorching day by the half way point of this game a nice cool breeze blew in and the sun faded out behind the haze making it that much more possible for our (and their) players to play their hearts out.  Maybe it was skill, maybe it was the frustration of having lost their previous match, or maybe it was their delicious tournament organized bag lunches; whatever the cause, team Oranje went all out on both offense and defense, stifling the Czech attack and piling on the points.  7-3 at the half would turn into 13-5 by the end of the game. The team was pleased but also too busy getting mentally and physically ready for the following day’s challenges to celebrate. Some dinner, some treatment of sore muscles, and plenty of rest for tomorrow would feature matches against India, Canada, and The Philippines.

Quick update

NL has played 7 games thusfar:

Ned 12 – Gbr 9

Ned 12 – Uga 5

Ned 7 – Swe 13

Ned 7 – Ger 10

Ned 13 – Cze 5

Ned 12 – Ind 5

Ned 4 – Can 7

With Canada and Germany atop the poole each with 6 wins and 1 loss and Sweden and Phillipines closely following with 5 wins and 2 losses (in which Phillipines beat Sweden 10-8); the only possibility for the NL to go into quarters would be a tie with phillipines in the poole. Sweden will play Uganda, which they’ll most likely win. 



Thus, that leaves the task with beating the phillipines. Which will give both teams a 5-3 record. The rules then clearly state: if A and B are tied and a has beaten B, then A gets the higher place. (Slightly paraphrased)

And if the Dutch win against phillipines both teams end with 5 wins and 3 losses, making the only win that counts the one between the two teams! Go Dutch!

It all comes down to the final game!

P.s. That quarterfinal matchup would be against the USA. 

Day 1 Summary

Greetings frisbee followers from every corner of the world and of course especially those whose wardrobe includes at least one pair of orange sunglasses, pants, or oven mitts. As the lone non-participating member of the Netherlands frisbee community in Dubai I have the unique vantage point, if I’m not off looking at sky scrapers, to watch our boys and girls in orange take on the world at this year’s World Beach Ultimate Championships. Also known among local tourists as “Oh my, where did all these lunatics come from and why are they taking up a square kilometer of beach along the Arabian gulf in order to throw plastic plates?” 

So let us dispense with the formalities and get down to the brass tax of it all, you want to know what it is I’m seeing. Let us begin our journey with Day 1 and skip past the opening ceremonies in which under the blazing sun, representatives from 25 countries happily marched their way along the beach, passed the Hilton, the Ritz, a Ferrari and a few miserable camels, towards the main arena to mark the opening of the tournament. I won’t bother describing all the laughs, the love, the joy, the old friends, the new friends, and the sweating. Instead Ill show you a photo of Oranje on the march.

een, twee, een, twee.. hup hup.. lekker warm eh?

Eventually the sun goes away in this town. The steel and sand cools down, many a frisbee player sits out at a cafe for a drink and a bite, and much strategy is discussed. It must be the first time in recorded history that the main conversation down at Jumeirah Beach Residence isn’t real estate but instead, what kind of zone to implement tomorrow against team Canada.

Finally we arrive at Day 1 – A day in which the Netherlands would face three opponents: Great Britain, Uganda (live streamed from the main arena), and Sweden. It was to be a long day of competing which the team has been preparing for over the past year. They were ready to put all that preparation to work against some tough and interesting opponents.

First up GB:

If I were one of these frisbee talking heads I would tell you all sorts of fun facts about this talented crew. I’d tell you about their home clubs and their record and you’d be impressed by my knowledge. But I’m not that person. What I can tell you is that the air was crisp and still slightly cool at 9am, the sky scrapers surrounding the Marina provided a few more minutes of protection from the sun monster, allowing both teams to play hard and unhindered by the heat that was still to come. (foreshadowing!)

NL had taken on GB just a few weeks ago at a preparation tournament in Portugal. They had won that match and in the process both sides knew just a bit more of what to expect. The result was an even match, with our side coming up with some huge defensive plays including hand blocks and surprise interceptions of some talented GB handlers. Another factor that proved more beneficial for the Orange, the deep threats, with many points coming on long throws into the end zone. Not usually the signature move of the team but good to know the option is there when they need it. As time ran out, NED kept their lead over the crew in blue, final score NL 12 GB 9. On to the arena where all our pals can watch us on TV!

Hello Uganda:

While the Netherlands fans and I’m sure the team itself would want this to be all about the intensity and skill of our crew, it has to be said that it is really cool to see Uganda playing in their first Worlds tournament. The sport is still young there but the team arrived in Dubai this year and have captured a lot of hearts and made many friends on and off the field. But this is not just some feel good story to print on the third page of that free newspaper you half read on the train this morning – Uganda can play. In fact before a live streaming audience of hundreds (maybe?) they came out firing, putting up two points relatively quickly and reminding anyone who needed proof, they are for real. Of course, as our team captains would surely remind me, they had no illusions of having an easy game and would be ready to give it their all as they do in every match. Look here’s a photo to illustrate how serious:

diving Dino with a big point against Uganda.

Fast forward to the end of the game, picture two extremely tired and sweaty teams and a final score of NL 12 – UG 5.

On to Sweden:

As the evening drew ever closer, with two wins under their elastic belts, the crew knew that the next match would be a big one. Say what you want about every team being a challenge and all that bla bla about taking one game at a time, if you play mixed at a national level, you probably have heard about how good Sweden has been over the years. And surely Sweden had heard how good the Netherlands has been getting over the years. Point is – tough game for sure.

Which is exactly how it would feel throughout. They came out scoring right away and our side was forced to try and play catchup throughout. You could point to errors but you could also point to a very calm, cool, and experienced Swedish side that showed little -if any- weaknesses. NED tried some different defensive looks, some heroic plays to force turnovers, – I even tried charming a Swede on the sideline; nothing worked. Here’s my dramatic made-for-TV conclusion: you won this round Sweden, but we will meet again! NL 7 SE 13

Huck it Yvonne!

Thus ended day 1 with our orange pals at 2 wins and 1 loss and eyes on tomorrow’s grudge match bright and early against Germany followed by an evening with the Czechs. How romantic! – Stay tuned.

Good luck NBFT!

Gisteren ontving het NBFT vanuit Nederland succeswensen van jullie, hun vrienden, familie, teamgenoten en supporters. Het viel in zeer goede handen. Nederland, succes! Wij staan achter jullie!

Mede mogelijk gemaakt door:

• Familie Doesburg
• Dorian Kingma, Tante en nichtjes Hilco
• Lauri van Ommen en familie van Ommen
• NUTS
• Airborn
• UFO
• Howard
• Sophie
• Nienke en zusjes Eelke
• Coen
• Gijs, Joe en Michiel
• NT dames
• Oline
• Team Enderest
• UTKA
• Seton, Carine, Adriaan, Bronwyn, Nan, Tris
• Katie & Elgin,
• Ravi
• Delft bestuur Force Elektro
• Fery en Ellen
• Coco
• Joram en Sandrijn

Succes!

— English —
Yesterday, the NBFT received good luck wishes from you, their friends, family, teammates and supporters. It was unanimously well received. We want to wish you guys the best of luck! We’ll be here rooting for you!

Made possible by the people mentioned above.

DCUB to NBFT: 2011 – 2015

— English below —

Afgelopen zondag speelde het NBFT haar laatste Nederlandse oefenwedstrijd tegen de Red Lights. Mooi zomerweer was het niet, want er stond nog best veel wind. Helaas verloor het NBFT deze pot. Als echte serieuze atleten gingen de leden van het NBFT dinsdag en maandag nog een maal het veld op om de laatste kleine beetjes aan hun spel te perfectioneren. Het team neemt zo’n 14 maanden aan training mee naar Dubai, bovenop 4 jaar aan geschiedenis. We doen een blik terug in de tijd:

2011, WCBU Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italië

November 2010 ontstond het Nederlands beach mixed team uit een serie tryouts in een ijskoude winter. Door middel van crowdfunding wist het team een deel van de reis naar het WK te sponsoren. Wat volgde was een onvergetelijke ervaring. Het team reisde af in een gehuurd busje vanaf Utrecht naar Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italië. Spelers als Michiel, Hilco, Eddy, Galen en Tim van Caubergh waren toen al van de partij. Op het WK deed Nederland het niet onverdienstelijk. In haar allereerste wedstrijd speelde zij tegen groot concurrent Ierland (wiens rivaliteit werd vergroot door twee verliespartijen tegen Ierland op het EK gras eerder dat jaar). Ierland kwam toen op een 7-3 voorsprong, maar Nederland wist de score gelijk te trekken naar 8-8 om uiteindelijk haar eerste wedstrijd met 10-9 te winnen! D-CUB (het zogeheten Dutch Co-ed Ultimate Beach team) won daarna ook tegen Brazilië en Currier Island (Pick-up team voor spelers waarvan de landen niet genoeg gerepresenteerd zijn). Hierna ging het Nederland iets minder af, de volgende 6 potten werden verloren waarvan 3 (Estland, Polen, Italië) slechts met één punt. Hierop volgde een verliezers bracket waarin Nederland zowel van Frankrijk en Rusland wist te winnen voor een elfde plek uit 22 teams.

2013, ECBU Calafell, Spanje

In 2013 was het de bedoeling van dit team om nog sterker, nog beter aan de slag te gaan. De kern van het team bleef gelijk, maar met de toevoeging van enkele sterke spelers zoals Jon, Justine, Linda, Marieke, Rogier werd er een grote belofte gemaakt voor het jaar. Ook dit jaar trainden ze in de barre kou op het strand. In de voorbereidingstoernooien wist Nederland onder andere te winnen van Portugal en Engeland, maar bleef de winst tegen Ierland uit.

Op het EK zelf verloor Nederland achtereenvolgens tegen Turkije, Ierland en Engeland met twee punten verschil. Terwijl in elke wedstrijd beide teams hadden kunnen winnen, trok Nederland toch aan het kortste eind. Nederland wist het toernooi af te sluiten met enkele mooie potten en winstpartijen tegen Polen, Oostenrijk en Zwitserland voor de elfde plek, maar moest toch een bittere pil slikken toen Ierland in de finale tweede werd.

2015, WCBU Dubai, Verenigde Arabische Emiraten

Dit jaar heeft D-CUB haar naam omgedoopt tot NBFT, het Nederlands Beach Frisbee Team. Nog meer goede spelers werden aan het team toegevoegd (Joost, Tim, Inger, Yulia, Sanne, Eelke, Lisa, Yvonne). Het team heeft een onwijs succesvolle crowdfunding campagne gehad, serieus getraind en menig internationaal toernooi aangedaan. Met een lang voorbereidingstraject in haar zak zal het NBFT zo al haar kracht bewijzen op het strand. Over meer dan 40 wedstrijden heeft het NBFT tot dusver meer dan driekwart gewonnen, waaronder ook van Ierland. Er werden creatieve manieren bedacht om een jaar lang een strak trainingsregime vol te houden en mensen erbij aanwezig te houden. Het team heeft de afgelopen drie maanden gelet op haar drank- en voedselinname en hard in de sportschool getraind. Het Nederlands Beach Frisbee team is er klaar voor.

Let the games begin!

Morgen verschijnt alweer de laatste post op weg naar Dubai. Daarna zal je verslag gelegd worden vanuit Dubai zelf door onze geliefde BicycleMark (a.k.a. Citizenreporter).

— English—

Last sunday the NBFT played her last game Dutch practise game against the Red Lights. Because of the wind, the weather bore no resemblance of summer like in Dubai. NBFT lost the game. However, innate to true serious athletes the NBFT members went back to the field on monday and tuesday to perfect the last elements of their game. The team will bring about 14 months of training to Dubai, followed by 4 years of history. We take a brief look back into the past:

2011, WCBU Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy

In the icecold winter of 2010 the Dutch beach mixed team formed inteself out of a series of tryouts. By means of crowdfunding the team knew to cover part of their Worlds. Wat followed was an unbelievable experience. The team travelled in a rented van from Utrecht to Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. Back then players like Michiel, Hilco, Eddy, Galen and Tim van Caubergh were already on the squad.  At Worlds the Netherlands was playing very decently. In her first game she played her big rival Ireland (who’s rivalry was emphasized by two tough losses at the grass Europeans a month earlier). Ireland took a 7-3 lead, but the Dutch tied the score at 8-8 to eventually win her first game 10-9! D-CUB (the Dutch Co-ed Ultimate Beach team) then also won her games against Brazil and Currier Island (international pick-up team). Then the Dutch their performance dropped and the next 6 games were lost, of which 3 by just 1 point (Estonia, Poland, Italy). D-CUB ended up in the losers bracket, but straightened out her game winning against France and Russia to become 11th out of 22.

2013, ECBU Calafell, Spain

In 2013 the intention was to make this team even stronger, to work even better. The core of the team stayed the same, but now strong players were added like Jon, Justine, Linda, Marieke and Rogier. With them the team was a big promise for the year. Also this year the Dutch played all throughout the cold winter and in the prep tournaments the Netherlands knew to win against Portugal and England, but did not win against Ireland.

At Europeans, the Netherlands road faired unfortunate losing against Turkey, Ireland and England all with two points difference. While in each game either team could have won, the Netherlands was the one pulling the shortest straw. The Netherlands knew to close out the tournament succesfully again, winning against Poland, Austria and Switzerland this time and finishing elevent, yet had to skip a beat when Ireland placed itself second in the final.

2015, WCBU Dubai, UAE

This year D-CUB changed its name to NBFT, the Dutch Beach Frisbee Team. More good players were added (Joost, Tim, Yulia, Sanne, Eelke, Yvonne and Lisa). The team hosted a great succesfull crowdfunding campaign, trained hard and played at many different international tournaments. With a long preparatory traject the NBFT will prove her strength the most at this championship. In 40 games the NBFT won more than three quarters of her games, under which also against Ireland. Creative ways were thought to be able to endure a tight trainingsregimen  and keep people involved. Also, the past three months they watched their diet and alcohol consumption. The Dutch National Frisbee Team is ready.

Let the games begin!

Tomorrw already the last post will be made from in the prelude for Dubai. Thereafter you wil receive a report from Dubai itself written by our beloved BicycleMark (a.k.a. Citizenreporter).

 

 

Nederlands Beach Frisbee Team – One more week!

–English Below —

Nog 7 dagen. De spanning zit er bij het team al goed in. Aankomende donderdag al reizen de meeste spelers af naar Dubai. De laatste oefenwedstrijd binnen Europa is reeds gespeeld. In frisbee Nederland krijgt men al langzaam de smaak te pakken, intenties zijn gemaakt op facebook om coverafbeeldingen aan te passen (zie beneden), maar ook de inschrijving voor  de mailinglijst loopt gestaag omhoog. Maar wie zitten er eigenlijk in het team? En waarom moet je het NBFT volgen op weg naar Dubai? Nederland speelt in de mixed divisie, dit houdt in dat je altijd uit vijf spelers 2 of 3 vrouwen/mannen zijn. Hieronder vind je de mannen en vrouwen van het Nederlands Beach Frisbee Team:

Wat je moet weten over de spelers

Rogier Postma – Rogier is de captain van dit team. Met zijn lange gestalte is hij overal in t veld inzetbaar, maar hij staat het liefste rondom de schijf. Zijn belangrijkste wapen is de rust die hij meeneemt in het veld en uitstraalt over het team. Als leider van de verdediging op het EK in 2013 kan je van hem een boel turn-overs (wanneer de tegenstander verdediging word, en wij aanval en vice versa) verwachten die cruciaal zijn voor het succes van NBFT.

Michiel van de Leur – Michiel is een uitmuntend spelverdeler en is al weer voor zijn derde jaar bij het beach mixed team aanwezig. Als captain maakt hij zich nuttig door precies te weten wat voor keuzes gemaakt moeten worden op welk moment. En als echte wiskundige weet Michiel natuurlijk precies wat er bij de frisbeetoss (figuurlijke muntworp) gegooid moet worden.

Marieke Buijs – Als een  echte beach-fanaat is Marieke bijna altijd terug te vinden op menig frisbeetoernooi in Europa. Marieke is een belangrijke handler (spelverdeler) voor het NBFT, ze heeft een goed oog voor hoe het spel zich ontwikkelt en ze heeft een uitstekende lange worp in haar arsenaal. Voor alweer haar tweede jaar gaat ze ervoor zorgen dat iedere tegenstander door het oog van de naald moet om haar tegen te houden.

Hilco Beukema – de twee meter grote reus is alweer voor zijn derde jaar aanwezig bij dit team. Met z’n handen wijd is Hilco net een muur, want geen schijf komt er langs. Hilco is een uitstekende speler in de lucht en het ideale doelwit voor een schijf. Verwacht van Hilco dat hij veel druk gaat zetten op de aanval van de tegenstanders en een veilig doelwit bij de Nederlandse aanval.

Yvonne Wattez – Yvonne is een geduchte verdediger, niet bang om haar lichaam in de strijd te gooien. De Haagse is een harde werker en met haar eerste WK strand zal dit zeker niet haar laatste zijn.

Joost Doesburg – Joost is misschien wel de meest ervaren speler van dit team. Joost behoort al enkele jaren tot de top 10 spelers van Nederland en is daar om te blijven. Menig toernooi is hem niet vreemd. Joost is een ware leider op het veld en zal zichtbaar al zijn energie gebruiken om de tegenstander te stoppen. Hoewel het ook Joost z’n eerste strandWK is, word er een uitroepteken gezet bij zijn deelname als 2e in de Open (lees: mannen) divisie bij ‘s Werelds meest populaire strandtoernooi Paganello.

Justine van der Meulen – Justine is als speler en persoon onvermoeibaar. Haar glimlach zal je verblijden, maar ook verontrusten als je hijgend haar loopt te verdedigen. Ja, Justine is een ge-oliede machine die niet zal stoppen voordat ze scoort. Op het EK in 2013 was Justine de meest succesvolle Nederlandse speler met 20 score en reken maar op dat ze dat feitje nog eens na gaat doen!

Sanne Leufkens – Sanne is een echte atleet: lang, snel, pikt dingen snel op. De voormalig atleticus is een gevaarlijke diepe dreiging. Met haar lichte voeten op het strand zal het zelfs moeilijk zijn voor de camera om haar bij te houden. We verwachten hier veel spektakel!

Tim van Caubergh – Één van de twee Tim’s in dit team. Tim is een veelzijdig speler. Net als Sanne razensnel, maar vooral ongelofelijk gevaarlijk op verdediging. Geen schijf is te ver voor hem en ook Tim zal onvermoeid alles voor je weg halen.

Tim van Ommen – de andere Tim daarentegen is meer een aanvaller. Ook een voormalig atleticus speelt Tim sinds 2013 mee op het hoogste niveau, en met veel lof. Tim is één van de snelste spelers in Nederland en bovendien erg vangzeker. Tel daarbovenop ook zijn lengte en je hebt een formule voor één van de gevaarlijkste “receivers” op het WK!

Galen Campbell – Galen zal met z’n lichaam elke schijf kunnen pakken op verdediging en aanval. Hij is bekend met het wegduiken van schijven boven je hoofd, maar ook voor je. Als één van de topverdedigers van 2013 zal hij z’n ervaring meenemen om dit jaar wederom een sterke zaak te maken voor zijn spel.

Eddy Vanderkloot – Samen met Galen is Eddy ook al vanaf het begin van de partij. Eddy is een uitstekend complement aan Galen in dat hij net zo veelzijdig is op aanval en verdediging. Achtereenvolgens is Eddy actief in frisbee-walhalla’s zoals London en San Francisco. Dat gaan we zeker terug zien op ‘t veld!

Jon Stolzfus – de onlangs trotse vader past met zijn lengte uitstekend in dit team. Jon is één van de weinige spelers die tegen de wind in zijn lange worp met uiterste precisie kan gooien. Zeker handig want op het strand is altijd wind! Verder zal je van Jon zien wat je van hem verwacht, iemand wie elke geworpen schijf ineens voor je weg kan halen.

Inger Janssen – Met Inger’s bijna twee meter is ze net als Hilco niet te stoppen in de lucht, noch als zij jou verdedigt en zij haar handen wijd heeft. Zo kan ze beide kanten van het veld prima bespelen en zowel op aanval als verdediging van belang zijn!

Lisa Kouwenberg – Lisa heeft wegens een blessure een tijd niet kunnen spelen maar dat doet niet af aan haar klasse als speler. Lisa heeft één van de mooiste en beste sidearms in Nederland en is bovendien heel goed in ‘t vooruitwerken van de schijf. Hoewel nog niet bewezen zal Lisa de betere persoon zijn in vrijwel al haar duels.

Eelke van Foeken – Eelke van Foeken js een alles-kunner. Hij speelt al jaren op gras maar heeft zijn kracht bewezen op het strand. Eelke is lang, snel, een goede handler, een goede cutter, goed in de lucht, en een goede verdiger. Daarnaast is Eelke een hele goede teamgenoot om z’n team gefocust te houden. Wat wil je nog meer?

Yulia Yusifli – Yulia is een hele sterke speelster. Ze weet als verdediger precies waar ze moet staan en gaat liggen wanneer dat maar kan, meestal met succes. Met ook Yulia van de partij kijken we hier tegen een heel sterk team aan!

Waarom je het NBFT moet volgen:

• Nederland speelt minstens één live wedstrijd. Tegen Uganda op Maandag 9 maart om 13 uur (Dubai) dus om 10 uur in Nederland. De wedstrijd is te volgen op live.wcbu2015.org, als ook menig andere verhalen over de teams.
• Het Nederlands team is gemiddeld het langste team van het toernooi. En zal dat in haar voordeel gebruiken in menig situatie om haar wedstrijden te winnen.
• Nog nooit eerder heeft een Nederlands team met crowdfunding zoveel geld weten op te halen. Met een intensieve en vooral leuke campagne wisten zij welgeteld 8.000 euro op te halen. En niet te vergeten:
• Het NBFT is het eerste Nederlands team met een grote externe Hoofdsponsor: Yellowbrick (meer info hierover volgt nog). Naast de sponsor van de indoorbeachhal: the Beach – Aalsmeer
• Je hoorde van ze bij het NOS, 3fm, radio 2, lokale media.
• Tot nu toe is Nederland goed op schema; al een jaar op weg en bij ieder toernooi scoorden zij hoge ogen
  • 1ste in Bibione (Italië)
  • 10e uit 26 in Berlijn tussen alleen maar Open (lees: mannen) teams.
  • 1ste van Nederland op Nederlands Open Nationaal Beach kampioenschap.
  • 9e op CFC in Lanzarote (Spanje) – slechts twee verliespartijen, tegen de uiteindelijke winnaars)
  • 3e op Lisbon MOW (Portugal) achter Portugal en Duitsland, maar voor Ierland en Engeland.
• De dames en heren van het NBFT hebben inmens veel tijd en energie in dit tijd gestoken. Laat je inspireren!
• Alle opties liggen open voor het NBFT om het in Dubai goed te gaan doen! Hier nog een mooie preview van de captain: https://sarahpaddleswim.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/wcbu-preview-netherlands-mixed/

Gewaagde voorspelling? Nederland haalt de kwartfinales en eindigt bij de top 8. Misschien wel top 6.

Je hoorde het hier als eerst.

Mocht je ze op facebook willen supporten; hier twee afbeeldingen die je op facebook kunt uploaden als coverafbeelding (klik om afbeelding op te slaan):

— English below —

7 more days. The tension is building op steadily as we get closer to the World Championship. Next thursday most players will already make their way to Dubai. The last practise game in Europe has already been played. Frisbee Netherlands slowly starts catching up with the hype, intentions are made to adjust facebook cover photos to support (see on the bottom), but also the registration for NBFT updates goes quickly (see sidebar). But, do we know who’s on the team? And why should we actually follow the NBFT on their road to Dubai? The Dutch play mixed from every 5 players on the line there always have to be 2 or 3 males/females. Up top you’ll find who’s on the team.

What do you need to know about the players?

Rogier Postma – Rogier is the captain of the National team. With his long posture he’s equipped for every position on the field. His most important weapon is his rest, which he spreads throughout the team, making it fair well under pressure. As defensive captain on the team at Europeans in 2013 you can expect from him a lot of turn-overs (when offens becomes defense and vice versa) that are crucial to NBFT’s success.

Michiel van de Leur – Michiel is a tremendous handler and is with the beach mixed team for his third year already. As the other captain he knows exactly what suits which situation in order to make the right tactical decisions. And as a real mathematician Michiel knows exactly how to handle the proverbial cointoss at the beginning of the game.

Marieke Buijs – Like a real beach ultimate lover Marieke can be found back on many a beach frisbee tournament in Europe. Marieke is a well-developed handler for the NBFT, she has a good eye for the development of the game and she her long throw is a great threat to the other team. For her second year on the team she will ensure that every oppenent will have to go miles to stop her.

Hilco Beukema – The two meter giant is on the team for his third year already. With his hands wide Hilco is like a wall, because no disc will pass him. Hilco is a great player in the air and the ideal target fo rany disc. Expect from Hilco that he will put a lot of pressure on the opponents offense while ensuring a safe target during the Dutch offense.

Yvonne Wattez – Yvonne is a fierce competitor and a great defender. She is not afraid to use her body to force D’s. She is a hard worker and this being her first world championship on beach will certainly not be her last.

Joost Doesburg – Joost is probably the most experienced player in this team. For several years already Joost beongs to the top 10 players in the Netherlands and is there to stay. Joost is a true leader on the field and will visibly use all his energy (drenched in sweat) to stop the oppenent. While this is Joost’s first beach worlds as well and exclamation mark is required for his addition to this team as Joost placed second in the World’s most popular beach tournament Paganello.

Justine van der Meulen – Justine is an ecstatic and unstoppable player. Her smile will make you happy, but also sad when you’re trying to defend her using all you’ve got. Yes, Justine is a well-oiled machine on the field who doesn’t stop before she has scored. In 2013 she was even the best Dutch player with 20 scores on her name and you bet she’s in for a repeat performance!

Sanne Leufkens – Sanne is a real athlete: long, quick and a real student of the game. The former atlete is a dangerous deep threat on the field. With her light feet she will even be hard for the camera to follow her. We expect a lot of good stuff from Sanne!

Tim van Caubergh –  One of the two Tim’s on the team. Tim is a versatile player. Not only is he incredibly quick on offense, he’s a really big threat on defense. No disc is too far for him and just like Justine, he will tirelessly keep that disc away from your possession.

Tim van Ommen – The other Tim in the company. Also a former athlete, Tim plays since 2013 on the highest level and with success too. Tim is one of the speediest players in the Netherlands and in addition has great hand-eye coördination for his catches. Add his length to that, and you have the formula for one of the most dangerous receivers at the world championship.

Galen Campbell – Galen will use his body in full extension to catch discs on both offense and defense. It’s not a weird sight so see Galen make a dive attempt around your head or in front of you. As one of the top-defenders in 2013 he will take his experience to this years worlds to yet again make a case for him as one of the top defenders in the game.

Eddy Vanderkloot – Inseparable from Galen is Eddy. He’s the perfect complement in that he and Galen share the same skillset and mindset.  Other than Galen, who is on defense, Eddy is incredibly versatile and is used on both sides of the field: offense and defense. On top, the experience Eddy has gained in the frisbee-heaven’s of London and San Francisco will certainly pay off in Dubai.

Jon Stolzfus – the recently proud father is with his length a great addition to the team. Jon has a special talent. He is one of the few players who can throw a perfect throw in tough winds over long distances. Very usefull when you’re playing in the wind. Other than that, you get from Jon a person who will come out of nowhere to take a disc away from you.

Inger Janssen – With Inger her two meter build, she, just like Hilco, is almost unstoppable in the air, nor when she has her hand wide on defense. She’ll mismatch on anyone trying to take the disc away from her. That makes it perfect for also Inger to play on both sides of the field.

Lisa Kouwenberg – Because of an injury Lisa hasn’t been able to play for some time, but that doesn’t make her any less of an elite player. Lisa has one of the best and prettiest sidearms in the Netherlands and is very good in using it to gain yards on the field. While she hasn’t had the chance to prove herself yet, Lisa will be the better person in almost all of her duels.

Eelke van Foeken – Eelke van Foeken is your prototypical all-around player. He’s proven himself on grass for a couple of years but has recently also proven his worth on the beach. Eelke is tall, quick, a good handler, a good cutter, good in the air and a great defender. In addition Eelke will keep his team well-focused and relaxed when he has to. What else do you want out of a player?

Yulia Yusifli – Yulia is a very strong player. As a defender she knows exactly were to be on the field and to lay down when she can, most of the times with good result. With Yulia in this team, we know this team is going to be strong!

Why you should follow the NBFT:

• The NBFT will play at least one live game. Against Uganda on Monday march 9th at 1PM (Dubai) so 10AM Dutch time. The game can be followed on live.wcbu2015.org, as also stories on the team and other teams.
• The Dutch team is on average the tallest team in the tournament and will use that to their advantage on defense and offense to cause trouble all around.
• Never before has a Dutch team crowdfunded for this much money. With an intensive and first and formost fun campaign they raised 8.000 euro’s, not to forget:
• The NBFT is the first Dutch team with a major external sponsor: Yellowbrick (More info to follow). Besides offcourse the sponsor of their indoor beach hall: the Beach – Aalsmeer
• You heard from them over the radio: NOS, 3fm, radio 2, local media.
• The Dutch are well on their schedule for succes; after a year on the road they scored high marks on each tournament so far.
  • 1st in Bibione (Italy)
  • 10th out of 26 in Berlin in between only Open (male) teams.
  • 1st at the Dutch National Open Beach Championship
  • 9th on CFC in Lanzarote (Spain) – only two losses against the eventual winners; Portugal and USA)
  • 3rd at Lisbon MOW (Portugal) behind Portugal and Germany, but ahead of Ireland and GB.
• The Ladies and Gents of the NBFT have put an incredibly amount of time in their Worlds preparation. Let yourself be inspired!
• All options are open for the NBFT to do well in Dubai! Here’s a nice preview for next week: https://sarahpaddleswim.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/wcbu-preview-netherlands-mixed/

Bold predictions? The Dutch make quarterfinals and end in the top 8. Maybe top 6 even.

You heard it here first.

Wish to support the NBFT? Here’s two cover images you can upload to show your support on facebook (click to save image):