Only a few weeks ago she stood opposite Orange in the final of the European Championship with the German national team, this weekend Nathalie Kubalski was goalkeeper as usual at Nijmegen. A prominent international, but in the Promotion League. “Yes, I could also play in the big league, I would certainly like that too.”
There was special attention for ‘their’ international at the start of the season in Nijmegen. Cubalski received flowers and a few bath pantels with the club logo on it. The goalkeeper almost missed those presents. She initially walked stiff through the line -up, until she was stopped by the plate. “That was a surprise, I didn’t know they had organized something. I ran the field completely focused and then they shouted that I would stand. I also missed those briefs, I already went back in concentration. ‘
The interest that is for her in her club often passes Cubalski, she says. ‘I sometimes don’t really know, especially with the youth players. That is also due to the language barrier; I have done very little to learn Dutch. It would be nice if that would be better next year, but I think I am ‘just’ a player of ladies 1 for most children here.
Cubalski and Her Flowers. Photo: Jan-Willem de Venster
The difficult start against Groningen
The opening match against Groningen went to a difficult start for Nijmegen. The home team was usually found on the Groninger, but it hardly caused any danger. Groningen was more effective and took the lead. Cubalski blamed himself: “A rebound, a good cause, but I was disappointed. And immediately told myself that I had to calm down again, because I want to keep coaching the girls for me.”
Only until the fourth quarter succeeded in Nijmegen to equalize and, a little later, to win. Newcomer Anna Nguyen made it 2-1 seven to time. Cubalski: ‘It took longer than I wanted. They left us on the ball and lurked themselves. After those goals my role changed. More talking and coaching, less moving. ‘
The competition is initially difficult for Nijmegen. Photo: Jan Willem de Venster.
Not sure, by her ankle
It was not certain that Cubalski participated on Sunday. ‘I wasn’t sure until this morning if I could participate. Even before the European championships I had a single figament injury. That’s why I played the first game there. But the medical staff found a way to ensure that I could at least play pain -free and pretended there was nothing wrong. ‘The motto was between games and also after the EC. But then I came back here, three weeks later than everyone else, and I couldn’t train because of the injury. That was not easy to be here and to look. ‘
With NEMII, Niveen Nijmegen received a second keeper, who was under the bar. Coach Martin van de Rakt: ‘She did well, so we had to see how she and Nathalie relate to each other, with that injury in mind. It is not that we are guaranteed to prepare Nathalie because she is a German international, she must be able to perform. She certainly did that today. ‘
Van de Rakt was in the stands on the EC. “We are proud of her. Almost everyone in the team went there. That’s nice, isn’t it? ‘Not all promotional lessons have such a topko -keeper, he realizes. “She is really good, makes a difference with her calmness, experience and coaching, you will certainly get points in this competition.”
Kubalski is celebrating the 2-1 victory with teammate Elena Vos. Photo: Jan Willem de Venster.
Yes, and then you are back on the field in Nijmegen after the final of the European Championship. Cubalski: ‘It’s like coming home here in Nijmegen, although the EC was in my own country. I am grateful for that, not everyone gets the chance to play a home tournament. Who today Are my second team, we had a good party. And yes, international field hockey is really different from club field hockey, but I also looked forward to being back here. ‘
It will be the third season of Kubalski for Nijmegen and the club love is already running deep. ‘We have gone through a development since then and are not yet ready. I spoke to other clubs, but I’m not really looking for that. ‘That is mainly due to the travel time of her hometown of Düsseldorf and her full -time job there. ‘Yes, maybe I would have to play with my figure in the big league. I could certainly do it and I would enjoy it, but in the main class you also have to train during the day and sometimes several times a day. I can’t combine that with my work. ‘
Maybe I should play with my figure in the big league. I could certainly do it and I would like it, but in the main class you also have to train during the day and sometimes several times a day. I can’t combine that with my work Nathalie Kubalski
And a possible switch would cause even more practical problems, because her friend Emma-Sophie Hessler also plays for Nijmegen. ‘Because we both work so much, we don’t see each other often. Then it is nice that we still have a kind of quality time in the car and on the field. ‘
But the two are not package deal, Kubalski grins. ‘If something arises, we will talk about it. At the moment I am happy that we can do this together. I am a loyal player, before that I played for Düsseldorf for more than ten years. I am not the type that wants to get everything out of everything and want to chase opportunities. I want to feel in place and develop something together. If you are happy here, why would you want to go somewhere else? ‘
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