Photography: Mike Harris

On the hockey field, I did receive recognition and appreciation from others because I was a good hockey player. After high school, I went to CIOS (Civil Society for Youth and Youth) so I could participate in even more sports.

My goal has always been to improve my hockey. I also had a dream: to one day make it to the Olympic Games. It didn't matter to me whether it was as a player, a coach, a referee, or a physiotherapist. As long as I was there. And if you believe in something, you can go far! To achieve that, I always set small goals. I made sure I kept pushing myself. As a result, I played five games for the Dutch national team and actually made it to the Olympic Games! The first time was as coach of the Spanish national women's hockey team, which finished fourth at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia. After that, I was the national coach of the Dutch women's hockey team, which won silver at the 2004 Olympic Games, and in 2008, we won gold with that same team!

All children have talents. Unfortunately, this is often underestimated. Talents in music or sports, in particular, are less encouraged than other talents. And why? Exercise is crucial for your health. Simply mastering sports through play. Moreover, sports are incredibly good for social interaction. You make most of your friends through sports! And besides the self-confidence that sports give you, they also give you the energy to do other things.