On April 2, 2026 at 08:30, we set off from Olten in three minibuses in the direction of Wavre. We, 19 players from French-speaking and German-speaking Switzerland, as well as the support staff consisting of Bas, Jasper and myself.

During the six-hour journey, the team-building process was initialized with some introductory tasks. In addition to the exchange on a personal level, the focus was also on sport. As we were traveling in this team constellation for the first time, we also had to determine who would play which roles in the matches. For example, the corresponding offensive and defensive responsibilities such as injector, trapper, line stoper, first runner etc. were discussed and assigned to the appropriate players.

After arrival and check-in at the hotel in Louvain-la-Neuve, the first team meeting took place. The focus was on the common sporting goals and expectations of the team. On this occasion, we were also able to welcome our physiotherapist, Annelot, who had traveled directly from the Netherlands.

After a relaxing night, we started the Six Nations tournament adventure on Friday. A special highlight: two days after the official opening of the Belfius Hockey Arena, we were able to call this fantastic stadium and pitch our “own”. The modern infrastructure and the atmosphere in the stadium had a motivating effect on players and staff alike and underlined the sporting nature of the tournament.

Sporting progression of the tournament We played our opening match against one of the tournament favorites, Belgium. The team put in a committed and focused performance. Despite being 2:0 down, the team showed morale, fought back and reduced the deficit to 2:1. In the end, we were beaten 4:2, but the performance was a strong sign of our potential.

In the second game against Austria, it was mainly our own lack of concentration that prevented a better result. Our teamwork and understanding of the game had improved significantly compared to the first game. Despite an even game, we were narrowly beaten 2:1 – not because our opponents were better, but because we largely got in our own way.

In the third game against Ireland (2:4), the team was also able to show its skills in phases, but lacked consistency and concentration in the first three quarters. It was only in the last 15 minutes that we found our game and were able to dominate our opponents. However, time was running against us and we were unable to make up the deficit.

In the final game against France, the team once again showed its full potential. Building on the strong performance against Belgium, the team clearly dominated the game. The tactical instructions were implemented consistently and the team was much more efficient in taking its chances. The result was a convincing 6:1 victory and a successful end to the tournament.

In sporting terms, the team has gained valuable experience at international level. Particularly noteworthy is the development in teamwork and the fact that we can keep up with strong opponents. The tournament showed what potential the team has, especially when concentration and consistency are maintained throughout the entire match.

In addition to the performances on the pitch, the behavior of the players was also highlighted positively by the organizers on several occasions – be it in their dealings with each other, in the order of the dressing room or in their general demeanor.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the team. It was a real pleasure to have accompanied you at this event.

Nadine Huber – Team Manager U18 Boys

The Easter break meant one thing above all for the U16 Boys national team: four days of pure field hockey. Held in Valkenswaard, our group had the privilege of taking part in a 6-nation tournament against some of the best U15/U16 teams in Europe – a level of competition that doesn’t exist here at home and exactly the kind of environment our players need to develop.

A few days before we left, we experienced a special moment as a group. Olympic champion and one of the great legends of world field hockey, Vincent Vanasch, joined us virtually and shared his story and his perspective on what it takes to reach the top. His message was simple but powerful: consistent work over a long period of time – getting 1% better every day – is what separates good players from great players. This message resonated with the boys. So much so that “1% better every day” has now quietly become our team mantra as we look to the next phase of our preparation.

On the pitch, the boys came up against strong opponents and didn’t shy away from the challenge. The tournament challenged us tactically, physically and mentally, and that was exactly the goal.

During the winter period, we spent six weeks working on developing our team identity off the pitch: Who we are, how we perform and what we stand for. Valkenswaard was the first real opportunity to show this identity on the pitch – against top teams from Europe.

The most encouraging thing was how visible the development was. From the moment we arrived to the moment we left, you could see how the team had grown – in their understanding, in their connections with each other and in the way they played together. The collective clarity we worked on was visible in real game situations and in a real tournament.

And the best part? This is just the beginning. We are grateful to everyone who made this journey possible and look forward to what this group will continue to build.

Xavier Santoloria – Head Coach U16 Boys

Early Thursday morning we set off in the car towards Ludwigshafen for the Easter tournament. After a pleasant bus ride, we arrived directly at the pitch at lunchtime and completed our first training session.

We then went to the hotel to check into our rooms and hold our first meeting. On Friday, we played our first match against Germany U16, which we unfortunately lost 0:10. The next day we continued directly against Austria U17. Here we fought a close battle, which we ultimately lost 0:1.

The goal on Sunday was therefore clear: to score our first goals and get our first win. That’s what happened in the game against Ireland and we managed to score our first goal. We kept it that way and won the game 1:0, which in turn meant that we finished second in our group and would therefore play Austria again on Easter Monday.

So the game plan was clear: revenge and a win against Austria. We were able to achieve this and won the game 3:1, finishing the tournament in third place.

We had clearly earned our pizza for lunch and so we enjoyed it during the final match between Germany and Spain. In bright sunshine, we waited for the U16 boys to pick us up so that we could make our way home. We arrived back in Switzerland in the evening, completely exhausted but proud of our performance.

Many thanks to the spectators who supported us on site!

Christine Römer – Team Manager U18 Girls