Posted by Caroline Smedts
on February 05, 2020
"Looking forward to work with my brother Jeroen."
Meet Sander Baart
Defender and hockey international for Oranje. Club player at Braxgata.
We meet Baart (31) a few days before his flight to Argentina, where he'll catch up with Oranje. The scar on his wrist is still clearly visible — as is his desire to get back to hockey at the highest level. Whether he's talking about his injury, his transfer, or the Olympics, he looks calm and ready for the second part of the season.
The Move to Oranje-Rood
After four years away, Baart is returning to Oranje-Rood. "Oranje-Rood is very familiar to me, although a lot has changed over the past years. There are some of the same faces left, but also a good bunch of new ones. I am very excited!"
The main draw: a chance to work with his brother, Jeroen Baart, assistant coach under Robert van der Horst. "Our attempt to do this at RAHC failed. It is a little bit strange to be coached by a member of your family. On-field we are professionals, off-field just brothers. Jeroen is very chill and understands the needs of the players very well. And the good thing is, he doesn't have to play the asshole — that is more a job for the head coach anyway." (laughs)
Coaching? The Ambition Is There
Baart has coached youth hockey before, and hasn't ruled out a future on the sideline. "I always gave trainings of course, since I played youth hockey. The ambition for sure is there. The next months will be a time of exploring and trial, to discover if coaching would be something that suits me."
Coming Back from Injury
A wrist operation kept Baart out of the first part of the Pro League season. "Unfortunately I missed the start of PL. Next week, I will fly off to Argentina to reunite with the Dutch team. We had a difficult start with 1/6 against India. This weekend was a lot better. From next week, I will be training very hard. I am not sure if I will be good to play, but I hope so."
Tokyo Fever
A third Olympic Games is on the horizon. "Oh yes! It will be my third Games. After London (silver) and Rio (4th place), Tokyo is most likely to bring the most spectacle. There is a lot of talent in the Dutch team, so everyone will have to fight for a spot. With six strong world top teams, the games are promising to be extremely exciting. The Olympic Qualifiers have been a real fight, so every game will be worth the effort of watching. I can't wait!"
