Swiss Hockey: Dear Rob, thank you for taking the time to talk to us. We are delighted to have you as President of Swiss Hockey since October 1st of this year. A commitment that comes with a great deal of responsibility and dedication. What motivated you to do this?

Rob: Hockey has been my favorite sport for more than 50 years. When we moved to Switzerland a good four years ago, we initially concentrated mainly on outdoor sports and enjoyed everything this beautiful country has to offer. When some members of the board stepped down, I came into contact with my predecessor Frank Schneider through my brother Erik. He told me a lot about field hockey in Switzerland – about the people, the culture and the challenges. As my voluntary board activities in the Netherlands gradually decreased, I had a great desire and also the time to get involved in Switzerland. So it actually came to me at the perfect time. I’ve been active in field hockey for over 40 years: as a player, trainer, coach, on committees, boards, as a referee and so on. I’ve actually done almost every voluntary role – and always with great pleasure. This is also the case now with Swiss Hockey.

Swiss Hockey: Your favorite sport for over 50 years – wow. Could you tell us more about your sporting career in field hockey?

Rob: I played myself for over 30 years and also trained and coached from the age of 15. I completed various courses at the Dutch Hockey Federation (up to and including level 3) and have always remained loyal to training and coaching. Later on, I even made it my profession – as a business coach and strategic consultant.

Towards the beginning of my 40s, however, my body began to clearly protest, so I stopped so that I could at least continue doing other sports, such as cycling, hiking, (touring) skiing and cross-country skiing. And since I was always quite critical of referees, I was challenged to whistle at a high level myself. I refereed matches up to the second-highest division. It was demanding and I really enjoyed it. In my youth, I reached the highest level in the Netherlands, right up to the U16 and U18 national team squads. However, I didn’t make it all the way to the top – I wasn’t strong enough for that. As a result, I don’t have any caps for the big Oranje team.

Swiss Hockey: We can see that you’ve left nothing out in field hockey … And now as President of Swiss Hockey. Could you tell us more about your goals? What do you want to achieve with the association?

Rob: Hockey is a small sport in Switzerland and cannot be compared with the Netherlands. That’s why I bring my experience to the table, but I can’t draw any direct comparisons.

I am very happy with how we have started as a new board – together with a new managing director. It’s a very pleasant team and we complement each other well.

Our first goal was to get to know each other well and become a real team. We all work on a voluntary basis, so we are also very much about enjoying what we do and making a meaningful contribution.

We also made this clear at the first Presidents’ Conference. We deliberately started with an intensive phase of getting to know each other in order to strengthen our mutual relationships. After all, we are all working towards the same goal and have the best possible ambitions for Swiss Hockey. On this day, we worked intensively on the coming period. It became clear that there is a common ambition to continue to grow field hockey in Switzerland. This starts with the youth. The more players, the more fun and the better the results in the long term. However, this is only possible if we raise the framework conditions to a higher level. This requires more funding. This, in turn, is only possible with greater awareness – communication will therefore be a key focus.

As the new Executive Board, we are firmly convinced that we can achieve these goals if we combine the strengths of all the field hockey enthusiasts (and that is meant in an absolutely positive way) in Switzerland. And we are really keen to tackle these tasks together.

Swiss Hockey: Yes, that all sounds very ambitious. As a “newcomer” in a position, you see a lot of things for the first time. What is your impression? What do you think: what is already going well? What can go even better?

Rob: My first impression is extremely positive. I have now spoken to a lot of people and had individual contact with all the presidents. The various meetings have given me a good overall picture. Everyone wants the best for Swiss Hockey. I have met a lot of committed and extremely likeable people. Being able to accompany the U21 World Junior Championship to India was also a great experience for me. I really enjoyed meeting the players, the local and FIH officials, the excellent staff and the many parents who were there. What a team spirit! I was really pleased with how we presented ourselves on this global stage. We can all be proud of that.

Of course, there are also tensions and not everything goes perfectly. But the solution-oriented attitude really appeals to me. Clinging to less positive things from the past has never made anyone happy. That’s why we focus on what has already been achieved and work on ambitions for the future.

Swiss Hockey: Yes, that’s a really hopeful view. Christmas is approaching inexorably, so we want to know: What’s on your wish list for Swiss Hockey to the Christ Child?

Rob: First of all, thanks to everyone who read this and stuck it out to the end

When people ask me for a Christmas wish, I start with all the people involved in Swiss Hockey and their families and friends. In addition to a wonderful Christmas, I wish everyone lots of love, happiness, health and success for 2026.

I wish us the same for Swiss Hockey – and that we can continue to build something beautiful together: the sport of field hockey in Switzerland. That every commitment is appreciated and that we achieve our goals together in harmony and cooperation.

Swiss Hockey: Thank you Rob. We are sure that the Christ Child will be delighted to receive your wishes for the entire Swiss Hockey family. Thank you again and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family.