Our girls had an early start on Tuesday morning as they flew from Belfast to Amsterdam before travelling on to Brussels. We went straight to the Belfius Hockey Arena to watch our first World Cup matches: Ireland v South Africa and Belgium v Spain. We watched Ireland take the win and experienced a whole new level of hockey.
Wednesday consisted of professional training sessions and matches hosted by KHC Dragons. We encountered a fresh perspective on basic, familiar skills and were kindly provided with two meals. It was a fun and unique experience playing against foreign teams and seeing how hockey truly is a universal passion.
Thursday brought lots of nerves for our Year 11 and 12 players as they awaited their GCSE results, but everyone was equally excited to visit Walibi Belgium, one of the top theme parks in Belgium. The Kondaa ride, the famous 50-metre-high rollercoaster, was definitely a fan favourite. The day was then finished off by watching the highly anticipated Ireland v Belgium match, where we also had the opportunity to meet Ireland player Katie Mullan.
Friday brought a self-led training session at the HC Gantoise, where we focused on attacking drills and continued to build connections within our teams. With another trip to the Belfius Hockey Arena, we were able to watch Ireland win against Malaysia, Spain score a late goal to beat Germany, and Australia draw with Germany. In the evening, we dined at the welcoming La Petite Fourchette restaurant.
On Saturday, we said goodbye to Brussels as we travelled to our second set of matches at the extraordinary HC Kampong Club in the Netherlands. In the evening, everyone got involved in the hilarious and competitive quiz and funny-shirt night.
Sunday flew by as we got into the rhythm of a sunny professional coaching session at HC Kampong. We then eagerly headed over to Wagener Stadium. From new jerseys to new bags, we almost bought out the shops! We watched the Netherlands’ confident victory against China, followed by a close draw between Australia and India. It was an unforgettable experience to witness the incredible level of support for our sport.
Cherishing our last day out on the pitch, we gave our all in both the morning professional coaching session and afternoon matches against HC Schaerweijde. In the evening, our game faces went on once again as we took part in a free-roam laser tag at UP Events — a perfect way to end our final day.
On Tuesday, after double and triple-checking that no one or nothing had been left behind, we headed into the city itself. We explored Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum and, what seemed like far too soon, we were on the home straight as we headed for Schiphol Airport.
It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime tour, filled with countless memories, laughs and goals scored. None of this would have been possible without the kindness, time and dedication of Mrs Steen, Miss Doherty, Rosey Cowdry, Hannah McGregor, Jaci McFetridge and Mrs Moore.
Thank you for making this an unforgettable experience that we will remember for years to come!
By Cate Moore and Sofie Halcrow