Naomi van As (33) sensationally announces her full retirement from hockey on conclusion of this season.
Naomi van As will no longer step foot on a hockey pitch as a player after this season. Laren’s deadly assassin may play her last game against Amsterdam on Sunday. Laren are currently in a fight with Oranje-Rood for the final place for the play-offs. Van As, voted as the best player in the world in 2016, playing in her eighteenth season said
“Hockey has been a very big part of my life for a long time. It’s very strange to stop now” Van As explains in a video message with De Telegraaf. “I retired from international hockey after the Rio Games and focused on my club hockey with Laren. I always follow my feelings with these kinds of decisions. At one point, I thought, it just feels right to stop now.”
Van As says that she would like to pursue her career as a presenter. “I’m presenting at Zappsport. Maybe I’ll introduce new programs in the future.”
Van As started playing her hockey at HDM and joined current club Laren in 2010. With Laren, they have reached the play-offs every year. Only a Hoofdklasse Dames title has so far eluded Van As from her very impressive list of honours. That title can be achieved this year, but Laren still has to produce a piece of magic. Laren is still not sure of the play-offs. The team from the Gooi has to win at home against Amsterdam whilst keeping their fingers crossed for Orange-Red to slip up against second place SCHC.
As an international, Van As was more successful. Van As, who played 229 international matches, scoring 45 goals, won gold at the Olympic Games of London and Beijing. Adding to her World Cup golds in Madrid and The Hague. At her farewell tournament in Rio, Van As won the Silver medal with her beloved team of orange.
