Hamburg. Boredom on non-game days Field Hockey World Cup Charlotte Stappenhorst will not have to worry between Sunday evening’s 3-1 loss against the hosts and defending champions Netherlands and the final preliminary round match against Ireland in Amstelveen this Wednesday (4.30 pm / DAZN). “I still had to draw some floor plans,” says the national striker, who hopes to complete his architecture studies in the coming year. That’s life as a German player in a fringe sport, and even at the height of the season, it’s not just about the sport.

National coach Valentin Altenberg’s team is clearly allowed to take care of other matters away from the field – as long as the focus is on the essentials. In these world title fights it is not primarily the result, but more development.

“We only try to do what we can influence, not looking so much at the opponent. We want to play our game, we want to be a defensive fortress and inspire offensively, and if we win we can be satisfied,” said the 27-year-old, who scored twice in the last 4-1 win over Chile. He was adjudged Player of the Game on Saturday as well.

Hockey ladies bounce back from defeat

The loss against the Netherlands, the reigning Olympic champions and world and European champions, was quickly recognized as the measure of all things women’s hockey. “We were not disappointed because we knew it was consistent with the current performance. Now we want to beat Ireland and then win as many knockout games as possible,” says Charlotte Stappenhorst. As a group runner-up or, if the vice loses against the world champion, third, the quarter-final qualification is on Saturday, as only the winners of the four preliminary round groups directly reach the round of last eight. . Semi -The final and the final will be held in Terraza (Spain) “If we play against Holland again, I’m curious how it will turn out if they don’t have 10,000 fans behind them,” says Stappenhorst.

Born in Berlin, she moved to Hamburg’s Uhlenhorster HC in 2014, but will return to her home club Zehlendorfer Wespen in the second division after the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo. She is currently experiencing her second and possibly last field world championship. Had Altenburg not replaced Belgian Xavier Rekinger as national coach earlier in the year, “then I would have resigned. The fun is lost. Now human appreciation is back,” she says.

However, it is unclear whether she will stay on for two years until the Summer Games in Paris in 2024 or focus on her work and promotion to the Bundesliga. If she decides to go to the Olympics, another move to the Bundesliga could also be an option – but not from within the city to Berliner HC. “It is an option to go back to UHC, but I will only deal with it when it comes,” she says. First counting only today, that’s challenging enough.

Tuesday, 05.07.2022, 2:54 pm