(THE Z TEAM)
(DELFT, NETHERLANDS)
Hockey is the number one women's sport
in the Netherlands,
and in the town of Delft Ring Pass one of
its most established clubs.
For the past eight years its girls under-18 first team
has played in the top division and even gained promotion
to the national league
by winning the regional title last season.
But in a few months all that has changed.
A string of heavy defeats,
two successive relegations
and a team that's running out of time to save their season.
We lost 7-1.
We lost 7-0.
We lost 7-1.
We lost 5-1.
We lost 4-0.
We lost 9-0.
We lost 3-1.
It was high scores every time. We've conceded a lot of goals.
I've known these girls for a very long time
and I know their strengths.
It's a real shame they haven't been able to show
what they can do so far.
It's hurt me, but it's really hurt the girls a lot.
As a coach, I know how much time I've invested into this
but that doesn't matter if the girls are unhappy.
Because then I'm unhappy too. It certainly hurts me.
But help is on its way, in the form of Dutch hockey icon
Ellen Hoog.
Can she turn around the fortunes
of this once successful team
and return them to winning ways?
(ELLEN HOOG DOUBLE OLYMPIC GOLD)
In a career spanning 12 years,
Ellen Hoog won two Olympic gold medals and a silver
as an integral part of the Netherland's all-conquering
women's national hockey team.
With over 200 appearances and 60 goals to her name,
her high-energy attacking style helped make her
one of her country's most effective players.
Ellen Hoog!
There's probably no female hockey player with a higher
profile in the game.
I want to work in a positive way with the girls,
I think I want to inspire them and tell them my story
and my experience
and then hopefully they will get motivated
and get inspired.
(DAY 1)
As the evening training session begins, team coach Aly Beijer
has a little surprise for the girls.
- Hello, were you expecting me? - No!
I am going to work with you this week.
I hear that things have not been going so well.
- Is that right? - Yes!
What's been going wrong, then? Tell me!
The morale in the team is pretty bad right now.
We've lost so many matches. We just have to find
a way out of this.
If we go 2-0 behind, we can keep it together,
but when it goes to 3-0, 4-0, we just fall apart.
Our heads drop...
And then we start shouting at each other.
We are going to work on this, this week.
- I hope you're up for it? - Yes!
We have to win this game at the end of the week
and right here is where it starts.
OK, let's go!
Ellen has just one week to transform the team
from one that has begun to see losing as a way of life,
into the winning machine
that will be fighting for promotion, not trying
to avoid relegation this season.
Are you being critical? Don't worry about it!
Stop! Stop! Stop! Don't say sorry!
Saying sorry is negative.
Don't apologise when you've done something wrong.
And this first exercise is all about the girls rediscovering
their love for the game.
Yeah, the vibe is very good.
The enthusiasm is very high and they are very happy, I think.
It's a nice group of girls and I think they really
want to learn. So far, so good.
In just five days, it will be hard to improve
the technical skills of the team,
but mental strength, or lack of it, is Ellen's main target.
You are all going to make mistakes!
I hear you trying not to swear...
..so instead you often shout "Oh!"
But saying, "Oh!" has negative associations.
You wouldn't say, "Oh!" if you scored a great goal
or made a fantastic pass, would you?
So I don't want to hear you saying it again! All right?
When they first saw her arrive, they were pretty nervous.
But once she started working with them,
it was like a switch had been flicked.
And it's because she's here that they really want
to put in 100%. They are so excited!
(LISE, CAPTAIN)
This is captain Lise Bom's second season
with the under-18s
and it's been a roller-coaster journey
from last year's triumphs
to leading a team in trouble.
I spend a lot of time with Daphne and Tamée.
We all love our sport, but I think it's good to spend
time together outside of hockey too.
That way you get to know each other better.
As captain it's been especially tough for Lise,
adjusting to her new responsibilities and no longer
just one of the team.
At times it feels like you have the whole team
on your shoulders.
You really feel the pressure to get it right
and that can be very stressful.
(DAY 2)
So this all looks pretty familiar, I hope?
We are going to carry on from where we left off yesterday.
Slap pass to the right of the cone, receive the pass,
go round the cone and then push it to the player there.
If you're the first player to the top of the "D",
you shoot for two points.
If you're the second, you shoot for one point.
I want this exercise to be done at speed,
but once you get the ball, take the time to aim and shoot.
OK. So let's split up!
(SLAP PASS AND SCORE)
Fast movement and effective passing is the foundation
for any successful attack in hockey. Without it,
a team will never get those vital opportunities
in the shooting circle.
And delivering accurate passes under pressure and quickly
is something the team really has to work at.
That's good! Nice and quick!
Good pass!
Push that one and hit that one.
Well passed!
When they have the opportunity to score
they really take the time now
and they take time in the "D".
It's getting much better than yesterday,
so I'm very happy now.
I think because Ellen is obviously a big player
when she says something, you take it onboard straight away
and go with it.
I think the training exercises have been really useful so far
and I've enjoyed them all.
(DAY 3)
Let's make some teams.
I'm going to hand out the bibs.
Let's have a seven against seven.
For the first five minutes, no talking!
Be very aware of what you're doing
with your body language too.
This sort of thing is very annoying
for your fellow players.
But this is very different.
It radiates energy, feels positive.
Make sure that there's lots of eye contact.
So many of the team's struggles this season have come down
to miscommunication on the field, so focusing
on their own play and not being too ready to comment
on their team-mates' performance
is an important lesson for the girls to learn.
OK, come round.
OK, how was it?
It was really tricky and pretty weird!
I really wanted to say something.
You do it automatically without thinking.
And you want to say "here" or "behind you",
but you can't.
Sometimes you want to switch or warn
another player but you can't.
And when you can't talk, there's no time to be annoyed,
no time for swear words, no time for
an "oh" or "ah" or "shit".
The group is very, very nice and happy and enthusiastic,
but they talk a lot.
But also of course, the scoring, that's a tiny problem
here in this team.
When you score it gives you a great feeling and they have
to experience that and they've got a lot of lost games
last season, so I think they need a little faith and trust.
(DAY 5)
The final day of training and 24 hours from now
the girls will be lining up for probably the biggest match
of their lives.
In this exercise four attackers take on three defenders,
working the ball into the shooting circle
and trying to create the space to give them the best
possible chance to score.
Play on! Play on!
Well played!
The scoring position is really important here.
They really have to think about it, where they have
to be to score a goal, especially with these girls
because when it's not going really well, then sometimes
they hide from the ball.
They don't want the ball and they get very passive.
OK! Gather round!
Let's talk about attacking positions in the "D".
What's important during the match is to make sure
you have someone on the back line free to receive the ball.
When you get near to or in the "D"
and there's an opportunity to pass,
the far post position is very important.
And what is especially important there?
- At the far post? - Stick down!
Often, you're not quick enough and it goes straight through.
That's a shame, as those sorts of goals are easy to score.
This is it, the last training session
and I think the girls are ready for the match.
I think we did everything we could, yeah. I'm happy.
(MATCH DAY)
The countdown has begun and there's no escaping
just how important this game is.
Another loss and their chance of promotion
out of this division could be in the balance.
Stay focused on your game-plan.
Even if things don't go as well as you had hoped,
keep that positive attitude throughout the match.
And remember, that positive attitude can deliver this.
I'll just get something out of my bag.
I'll pass it round so you can all have a look.
So, I hope it inspires you to keep going, whatever happens.
Because anything is possible.
Today is like your Olympics.
That's what it feels like to me.
It's really like a final.
And I want you to give everything you have
to win this final.
And most importantly work together and for each other.
I don't care who they are and where they come from.
We're going to beat them today! So come on, girls!
Let's get out there!
Tonight is not just about Ring Pass's league position,
but the very survival of their team.
Can the girls restore their self-belief?
Their opponents, Berkel, have scored nearly 30 goals
this season compared to Ring Pass's nine.
Come on, Ring Pass!
Pressure on!
Well done! Good effort!
Berkel are a physical, hard-pressing side.
Ring Pass are trying to soak up the pressure
and find a way forward.
Good pass!
It's no goal, no goal.
The girls' commitment is clear early on. They're fighting
for every ball, determined not to concede
an early goal and risk derailing their confidence.
Penalty corner to Ring Pass.
A signature drag flick from Maaike, a great follow-up.
And it's 1-0 to Ring Pass.
The dream start for the girls,
but they've got to keep the pressure on
and maintain focus.
Ring Pass are trying to keep momentum on their side.
It's another penalty corner.
Yes!
It's 2-0, a captain's goal from Lise.
The girls have never been in this position before.
And neither has Berkel's coach, finding his team 2-0 down
with barely ten minutes on the clock.
Lise again, to make it 3-0.
Ring Pass on another level
to anything they've done all season.
Great job! Great job!
The girls have started well before, only to fade away
as their energy drops.
Get back! Help them out!
Berkel back on the counter.
Well done! Now, go!
Can the Ring Pass defence keep their shape?
Good save!
Berkel is piling on the pressure.
And Ring Pass's players are feeling it.
Keeper Moise de Koning denies her opponents a breakthrough.
Well saved!
In the "D" now and Tamée looking desperately for a way
through the Berkel defence.
Fantastic, girls!
The girls have not scored four in a single game all season.
(RING PASS 4 - 0 BERKEL)
The team maintain the shutout on Berkel up to the break.
But their coach knows it's far from over.
Ring Pass have been in winning positions before this season,
but lost their way and suffered defeat.
Push it! Push it!
But have they got the mental toughness
and physical strength to stay on top?
The game's been played at a blistering pace.
Berkel surge forward
and Ring Pass's defence left exposed.
This is the real test now - can they stay strong?
(RING PASS 4 - 1 BERKEL)
Surely Ring Pass can't surrender their lead now?
It's been a relentless contest without let-up
and Ring Pass's defence
resisting Berkel to the very end.
4-1 Ring Pass,
and Ellen and the team have done it.
They've finally won,
and in style.
Every player in every position giving total commitment.
The dream has become a reality.
I'm happy! A happy coach here!
They really performed as a team today
and they were very positive,
so it looks like they listened to me!
It's a good feeling.
For Ellen it's time to hand the team back,
and for the girls, the start of a new chapter
in their team's history.