BHUBANESHWAR: In contemporary years of world hockey, no workforce has captured the creativeness like the Belgium men's nationwide workforce. They have persistently punched above their weights, shocked everybody with a good looking, counter-attacking style of play and crashed the barrier to ascertain themselves a number of the elite teams in the provide international hockey order. They first defied logics to enter bulldoze their solution to the Rio Olympics final where they were denied the gold by way of Argentina. Then, a yr later, they again left a long-lasting influence with a silver medal on the European Championship.
What makes their upward push interesting is the fact that hockey in Belgium doesn't experience the same standing as in different top-ranked countries. Be it in the case of reputation or financially rewarding, it is nonetheless not regarded as a viable occupation option. That is the reason why Belgian hockey gamers are taught to learn a existence ability to make certain that they can reside off very easily after the tip of their professional careers.
Even Thomas Briels, the captain of the current Belgium hockey workforce, has already built himself an alternate occupation that doesn't fear hockey. Briels, a striker, is a triple-Olympian who has an Olympic silver medal to his title apart from bronze and silver medals on the Euro Championship and has also received a bucketful of trophies playing on the membership level - both in Belgium and the Netherlands. You would be expecting somebody boasting his roughly portfolio to have made it big in existence with a secured monetary future. Well, turns out it isn't the case.
The 30-year-old hockey star divided his workforce between playing professional hockey and learning to be a, wait for it, podiatrist. Not many would have heard the word podiatrist let by myself know what that stands for. As in keeping with American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine, a podiatrist "diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the foot, ankle and related structures of the leg."
"I played professional hockey and simultaneously studied for podiatry," Briels instructed TOI after he had just finished a high-intensity observe session forward of Belgium's Odisha Hockey World League Final opener against Argentina on Saturday. "In finished that in 2015. Now I am working one day a week on Wednesday and the rest of the week I am playing hockey. I am learning and get a bit of experience in podiatry. Hopefully when I stop, I want to teach kids, share with them my experience what I have learnt, maybe some coaching. I am going to combine the two - practice a podiatrist and coaching hockey."
With their rapid growth, has the game now become interesting, if not most popular, occupation option in Belgium, Briels has no hesitation in declaring another way. Hockey gamers are nonetheless urged to check or paintings part-time to learn one thing to fall back upon after completing professional hockey. "No, it's still the same. See, you can easily live off hockey during your professional career but afterwards you cannot save enough money to have a secured future. So, you have to study or work part-time. Basically learn something else. Some players take to coaching, others go for studies. In the end, you can combine high level sports with studies and it makes you better. Makes you smarter as a person. For me, it's really important to do something else from hockey. Mentally, it is also good to sometimes focus on something else other than hockey," Briels printed.
But issues are improving at house. And after their superb performances on the world level, funding has larger, the nationwide federation has become extra professional. "We've a good federation - it has become much more professional than it was ten years ago. They have worked on it. There's more funding and players have also become more professional. Everything around hockey in Belgium is getting more professional," he stated.
Hockey isn't as financially rewarding as different sports activities, especially football, which is very standard in Belgium. The present crop of Belgian gamers could be a proficient lot however can performance by myself draw in future generation to take up the game? Briels, who has clocked 282 world caps until date, has a fascinating take on that.
"You get a lot of things out of hockey. It's not just about the money. You can travel the world. By playing sports at a highest level, you can learn a lot as a person. There's a lot of pressure when you are competing at the top level and you learn a lot. You become disciplined, more professional. I think you can learn a lot of things which cannot be taught in school. Hockey has given a lot to me. Even though we do not learn as much as footballers, there are little kids who look up to and it's a nice thing to be an inspiration to younger generation," stated Briels.
Belgium could be dishing one strong performance after any other, Briels made it transparent that the workforce's greatest goal remains to win a big world trophy. They have come as regards to attaining just lately in Rio 2016 and Euro Championship 2017 however needed to deal with runners-up medal.
"It has taken a large number of arduous paintings. We had a excellent generation of gifted gamers. A lot of them have played with each and every different for a very long time. We attempt to train in point of fact arduous to get effects. Hard paintings pays off finally. Really proud of where we are right now. We need to get well. Still want to win a big world event with Belgium. That's our big ambition.
Does the loss to Argentina in Rio nonetheless rankles? "At that point we were in point of fact disenchanted," he said. "We were playing neatly, may've received the game had we been at our best possible. But Argentina played better and so they deserved the identify. I think a week or two later, we felt proud that we had received an Olympic silver. It was a pleasant revel in however we are hoping to move one better in future and cross on to win the overall."
Come Saturday, Belgium will have a chance to avenge the loss when they face Argentina on the Kalinga Hockey Stadium. "It's been a long time since we played them (Argentina). Lost the Olympic final to them, so we need to take a bit of revenge. Like us, they also have some new gamers. So it'll be interesting contest. It's our first game of the event, so looking forward to it," Briels stated.
When asked if there may be one rule in hockey he want to alternate, Briels pointed out the High Ball rule. "I think the whistling at the high ball. You don't in point of fact learn about it. I'm really not transparent about it and infrequently we get the influence that even referee don't know which solution to cross. Don't whistle on it. Just let the play continue. Change this rule a bit of bit," he chuckles sooner than mountaineering over an advertising board and haring across the turf to sign up for his team-mates who've already packed their kits, in a position to depart for the hotel.
What makes their upward push interesting is the fact that hockey in Belgium doesn't experience the same standing as in different top-ranked countries. Be it in the case of reputation or financially rewarding, it is nonetheless not regarded as a viable occupation option. That is the reason why Belgian hockey gamers are taught to learn a existence ability to make certain that they can reside off very easily after the tip of their professional careers.
Even Thomas Briels, the captain of the current Belgium hockey workforce, has already built himself an alternate occupation that doesn't fear hockey. Briels, a striker, is a triple-Olympian who has an Olympic silver medal to his title apart from bronze and silver medals on the Euro Championship and has also received a bucketful of trophies playing on the membership level - both in Belgium and the Netherlands. You would be expecting somebody boasting his roughly portfolio to have made it big in existence with a secured monetary future. Well, turns out it isn't the case.
The 30-year-old hockey star divided his workforce between playing professional hockey and learning to be a, wait for it, podiatrist. Not many would have heard the word podiatrist let by myself know what that stands for. As in keeping with American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine, a podiatrist "diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the foot, ankle and related structures of the leg."
"I played professional hockey and simultaneously studied for podiatry," Briels instructed TOI after he had just finished a high-intensity observe session forward of Belgium's Odisha Hockey World League Final opener against Argentina on Saturday. "In finished that in 2015. Now I am working one day a week on Wednesday and the rest of the week I am playing hockey. I am learning and get a bit of experience in podiatry. Hopefully when I stop, I want to teach kids, share with them my experience what I have learnt, maybe some coaching. I am going to combine the two - practice a podiatrist and coaching hockey."
With their rapid growth, has the game now become interesting, if not most popular, occupation option in Belgium, Briels has no hesitation in declaring another way. Hockey gamers are nonetheless urged to check or paintings part-time to learn one thing to fall back upon after completing professional hockey. "No, it's still the same. See, you can easily live off hockey during your professional career but afterwards you cannot save enough money to have a secured future. So, you have to study or work part-time. Basically learn something else. Some players take to coaching, others go for studies. In the end, you can combine high level sports with studies and it makes you better. Makes you smarter as a person. For me, it's really important to do something else from hockey. Mentally, it is also good to sometimes focus on something else other than hockey," Briels printed.
But issues are improving at house. And after their superb performances on the world level, funding has larger, the nationwide federation has become extra professional. "We've a good federation - it has become much more professional than it was ten years ago. They have worked on it. There's more funding and players have also become more professional. Everything around hockey in Belgium is getting more professional," he stated.
Hockey isn't as financially rewarding as different sports activities, especially football, which is very standard in Belgium. The present crop of Belgian gamers could be a proficient lot however can performance by myself draw in future generation to take up the game? Briels, who has clocked 282 world caps until date, has a fascinating take on that.
"You get a lot of things out of hockey. It's not just about the money. You can travel the world. By playing sports at a highest level, you can learn a lot as a person. There's a lot of pressure when you are competing at the top level and you learn a lot. You become disciplined, more professional. I think you can learn a lot of things which cannot be taught in school. Hockey has given a lot to me. Even though we do not learn as much as footballers, there are little kids who look up to and it's a nice thing to be an inspiration to younger generation," stated Briels.
Belgium could be dishing one strong performance after any other, Briels made it transparent that the workforce's greatest goal remains to win a big world trophy. They have come as regards to attaining just lately in Rio 2016 and Euro Championship 2017 however needed to deal with runners-up medal.
"It has taken a large number of arduous paintings. We had a excellent generation of gifted gamers. A lot of them have played with each and every different for a very long time. We attempt to train in point of fact arduous to get effects. Hard paintings pays off finally. Really proud of where we are right now. We need to get well. Still want to win a big world event with Belgium. That's our big ambition.
Does the loss to Argentina in Rio nonetheless rankles? "At that point we were in point of fact disenchanted," he said. "We were playing neatly, may've received the game had we been at our best possible. But Argentina played better and so they deserved the identify. I think a week or two later, we felt proud that we had received an Olympic silver. It was a pleasant revel in however we are hoping to move one better in future and cross on to win the overall."
Come Saturday, Belgium will have a chance to avenge the loss when they face Argentina on the Kalinga Hockey Stadium. "It's been a long time since we played them (Argentina). Lost the Olympic final to them, so we need to take a bit of revenge. Like us, they also have some new gamers. So it'll be interesting contest. It's our first game of the event, so looking forward to it," Briels stated.
When asked if there may be one rule in hockey he want to alternate, Briels pointed out the High Ball rule. "I think the whistling at the high ball. You don't in point of fact learn about it. I'm really not transparent about it and infrequently we get the influence that even referee don't know which solution to cross. Don't whistle on it. Just let the play continue. Change this rule a bit of bit," he chuckles sooner than mountaineering over an advertising board and haring across the turf to sign up for his team-mates who've already packed their kits, in a position to depart for the hotel.
Briels: Hockey star, Olympic medalist and podiatric
![Briels: Hockey star, Olympic medalist and podiatric]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
December 01, 2017
Rating:
