Women: Physical qualities Nat. Team < 21

Photo: Richard van Hoek
On Photo: Richard Kunst and Nadhie den Dunnen

Women: National Team < 19
Height Weight Reach Height Jump Height

1.65m 64,2kg 2.16m 2.66m (50cm)
1.72m 64,9kg 2.18m 2.70m (52cm)
1.60m 64,3kg 2.09m 2.62m (53cm)
1.73m 62,9kg 2.24m 2.78m (54cm)
1.78m 75,1kg 2.31m 2.68m (37cm)
1.70m 73,7kg 2.21m injury
1.74m 68,6kg 2.25m 2.72m (47cm)
1.80m 67,1kg 2.31m 2.82m (51cm)
Average 171.5 67.6kg 2.22m 2.71m (49cm)

Comment on All Round and Specialism

Adam Doroszuk from Poland asked a question:


Especially the last part about player, who in your opinion can develop as a top tiger, but he will never play in National Team because he is not very tall, gave me to think. And here goes my question:


isn`t it too radical, and maybe even harmful to say that he will never play in National Team just becasue he is small? Of course I see your point in this article- top players should be flexible,
and they have to play on the highest level in different roles on the field, but still- don`t you consider situation when for example player 1.80 m tall, who is a great tiger, and score much more goals than
taller players will play in Dutch National Team? What is more, this is not just imaginary situation. Nevertheless Casper Boom is an example for relatively short player, who is in Dutch National Team.
Also I have to meantion players like Bart Cleyman, Mitch Lenaerts or Ricky Wu- all of them are not very tall, but they play on the international top level.

So you think that if they were Dutch, they wouldn`t play in National Team?

As I said earlier, I understand that tall players are welcome in modern korfball, and it is important on top level that man can play equally effectively as a tiger, and as a bear , but is this really mean
that players shorter than 1.90 m can not even dream about being the best players in the world?
I really can`t wait to hearing from you.
With best regards-

Adam Doroszuk

Hi Adam,
Body length is now and in the future important feature for top korfball players.

I did not say/ mean that there is no chance for smaller men, like < 1.80 m.
In particular I gave some remarks about that fellow who is 1.83. The remark has to do with more observations than only his body length.
I see this man playing and training regularly in the national team under 21 . Then I observe how he is never rotating and never trying changing the Tiger role for Panther or Wolf. For the Bear role as his specialism, he is too small. Even a small man can rebound succesfully, by looking for the best position and reading and blocking the position of the opponent and recognise where the the ball will come down.
Mentally he wants to show himself only as a Tiger. He plays very often in a tunnel
So I give a prediction for this moment. It is a challenge for this man to show that he can be more valuable in the team, especially to cooperate in different ways with his teammates.
I cannot tell really the future but for now I gave him no chance.
Best regards,
Ben





Thank you for so quick answer.
From your article on the blog I understood that a small player will not play in National Team just because he is not able mentally to play more flexible. He should play also as a Wolf and Panther, not only as a Tiger, but he does not do this. It is not necessary for him to try go for the rebound because of his lenght.
So generally, the important thing is to develop yourself in different roles, even if somebody is not very tall, he can be very valuable in the team as a Tiger, Wolf and Panther, and can became top player.
By the way- you do really great job on your blog. It is probably the best source of korfball knowledge online. I can`t wait to see your next article!
With best regards- Adam.

Allround and / or Specialism

Talents: All Rounders and Specialists
Talents are promises. They have to learn to compete and to win on the highest level.
A week ago I published the physical facts of the Dutch talent team (under 21)
Now I will make a comparison with the real top, the players of the Dutch National team

Average for male players:
Dutch National Team - Talents (under 21)

Body Height 1.95 m - 1.91 m

Weight 85 kg - 80.5 kg

Reach 2.55 m - 2.47 m

Reach with Jump from Stand 3.28 m - 3.18 m

Comment:
The talents have to grow as well in body length, in weight and in reach with jump.
That will happen for there are very young men ( 19 years) in this group.
So if you look at the physical facts they have the promises that they will develop in the same way as the players of the national team.


However I d'not use their names in the article I will give some remarks about my expectations for their future.


I use for this, my definition of roles: Tiger; Bear; Wolf and Panther. Roles are based on physical and mental skills.
In my vision Top Players can play all round, in all roles and should have a very good level as a Tiger. Besides that they can excel in other roles.
Rotation of roles should be the basic option for the players of the National team!
So a top korfball player can be a specialist in one role but should have a high level to fulfill other roles.


In my opinion there are only two players in this group of talents who show that they can be a national team player in the next future. These two players can kill ( very good distance shot); can play a 1-1 duel (can go into the mental and physical fight); can pass and can read other players ( can communicate, cooperate and have split vision, is game intelligent = can read the game); can rotate in every role ( body strength under the post; can read the ball, can time to go in other positions; has a large action radius).

May be there are two players more (3 and 4) who can develop the skills which are needed for the players of the national team:


3. There is a remarkable Bear. Around the post he is a winner of rebounds. But he is not really a winner in finishing a good chance. He is a terrible shooter and shows a lack of fantasy. He can still learn to play more effective end with more fantasy.


4. The other man is skillful with the ball. But his action as a Tiger is totally not impressive. The movements (running) are too slow and too much as a dancer (circle movements). The movements are not sharp enough. He has a good talent for cooperation and communication. But he misses the real acceleration which is needed for Tiger and Panther.


In this group of talents there is only one player who can develop as a top Tiger. But this man is just too small for to rotate in the Bear role. He will be very valuable in a club team but he will never play in the National Team. He is not flexible enough in the way he shows his possibilities in the other roles during the match.