Hans Jorritsma

Hans Jorritsma played various team sports including basketball and handball, but hockey turned out to be his best sport. After playing for teams in the lower leagues (Lochem, Hurley, and HIC) he ended up with the first league team Amsterdam (AH&BC). Jorritsma made his breakthrough in 1974 when he became a regular in the Amsterdam line-up, and later that year was added to the Dutch selection for the 1975 World Cup, where he played in three matches as they finished ninth. Later that year, Amsterdam and Jorritsma would win the Dutch league.

Internationally, Jorritsma competed at the 1976 Olympics (4th) and 1978 World Cup (2nd). The latter tournament was held in Argentina and controlled by the Videla junta. Jorritsma refused his silver medal when it was handed out by Videla, and shortly afterwards, with 65 caps and one goal to his credit, he retired from international competition to avoid “being used for political goals”.

Jorritsma then turned to coaching, and in 1987 became coach of the national team. That same year he won the European title, and then the Olympic bronze medal in 1988. He then crowned his coaching career with two consecutive World Cup wins, 1990 (for Netherlands) and 1994 (for Pakistan, beating the Netherlands after penalty shots). In 1996, after a short period at the Dutch NOC, he was asked by Guus Hiddink to become team manager for the Dutch men’s national football team. Jorritsma held that position until 2017 after taking them to three World Cup semi-finals in 1998, 2010, and 2014.