With some sense of amazement I read the whole thread there. Just joined the forum, and was searching for mentions of my own club, Argonauta. I may be 3 months late, by here is my two cents worth:

- Sven, your high handed comments about how no-one in the Netherlands who is any good at hockey does anything to help others, frankly, gets right up my nose.
... I have been around coaching at clubs like Njord in Eindhoven. I don't go every week, that is true.
... Players from Argonauta went to Tilburg when you were starting out to help. Did you expect them to continue coming every single week until you all were international level?
... Argonauta made the suggestion to Tilburg that players come to Argonauta, so that they could see how we trained, and what sort of things a good club does to improve. The idea being that these players learn, and then return every week to their club to pass on what they have picked up. As I understand your complaints, you would prefer that others take the time to go to you every week, instead of you extending yourselves by learning something at other clubs. A teeny weeny bit selfish I would say.

Regarding the skills you saw at the tournament... I am sort of surpised that you would rate something you have never seen before (a skill then) above other 'normal' skills performed at a high level.

Especially new clubs/players need to concentrate on doing the basics right, instead of fancy pants skills that you can use once a tournament. Playing together, as a team, is also a skill that is often neglected by teams in the lower grades.

Just to help you out, here are the concrete individual skills you need to be an international forward, can't be arsed going to the new thread and posting them there:
- Pass
- Swim fast
- ah... that's it really.
If you can execute those well, you are going to play a worlds. The rest is candy.

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Faster than a speeding puck...