Martijn has been training keepers across the world for over 30 years. It’s not without reason that he is known as the Goalie Guru. “Goalkeeping is my passion, and I hope to bring this passion across to the keepers who I train and coach. There is nothing better than training with enthusiastic keepers who want to improve: whether that’s David Harte or the C2 team’s goalie”, explains Martijn, who also coaches and advises keepers off the field. “This can be around studies, planning or life in general.”
Junior World Cup in Paris
He inherited his love for hockey from his father Han, former record Dutch international. Martijn played for all the national youth teams. The high point: third place at the Hockey Junior World Cup in Paris (1979). He was also goalie for many years at Leiden Men’s 1 and HGC Men’s 1.
Top division
Numerous clubs in the Netherlands have employed Martijn as a keepers’ trainer, mostly in the first (Hoofdklasse) and second (Overgangsklasse) tiers. Currently he is keepers’ trainer at HGC (Men’s and Women’s 1 and all goalie youth teams), Pinoké (Men’s and Women’s 1 and all goalie youth teams), Kampong (Men’s and Women’s 1 and all goalie youth teams), Den Bosch (Women’s 1), MOP (Women’s 1), Almere (Women’s 1), SCHC (Men’s 1) and Hurley (Women’s 1).
International experience
Martijn has worked for the national men’s teams of the Netherlands, Spain, India, Malaysia and Ireland, South Africa’s national women’s team and the girls of the GB Hockey Elite Development Program. In addition, Martijn has coached the keepers of the Dutch Junior team (Jong Oranje) and the Netherlands A team, both boys and girls. Martijn also regularly gives training abroad, including in Spain, Argentina, South Africa, England, Germany and Belgium.
Achievements
As keepers’ trainer, Martijn has been involved in 4 Olympic Games, 10 EuroHockey Nations Championships, 6 World Cups, 11 Champions Trophies and 1 FIH Pro League . In 2008, Spain won Olympic silver, with Quico Cortez, who was trained by Martijn. In 2012, Martijn coached the keepers of the Dutch national team, with Jaap Stockmann in goal, who also won Olympic silver. In 2016, Maddie Hinch won gold with the British team at the Rio Olympics. At club level, Martijn has been involved in 14 national titles and 7 European club titles.
Top goalies
Here are some of the keepers who have reached the top level, (at least in part) thanks to Martijn’s training and coaching:
- David Harte, Kampong Men’s 1 and Irish national team (Best Keeper in the World 2015 and 2016)
- Sam van der Ven, HGC Men’s 1 and Dutch national team (EuroHockey Nations Championship gold, 2017)
- Maddie Hinch, GB national team (Olympic gold 2016, Best Keeper in the World 2016, 2017 and 2018)
- Josine Koning, Den Bosch Women’s 1 and Dutch national team (EuroHockey Nations Championship gold 2017, World Cup gold 2018)
- Kumar Subramaniam, Malaysian international team
- Quico Cortez, Spanish national team (Olympic silver 2008)
- Sreejesh P Raveendran, Indian national team
- Aisling D’Hooghe, Belgian national team
- Jaap Stockmann and Pirmin Blaak (Olympic silver 2012)
- Guus Vogels, former HGC Men’s 1 and Dutch national team
- Floortje Engels, former SCHC Women’s 1, Kampong Women’s 1, Amsterdam Women’s 1 and Dutch national team
- Rassie Pieters, South African national team
- Sanani Mangisa, South African national team
Training vision
In the last 30 years Martijn has developed his own training philosophy. The Drijver Goalie System forms the basis of all his training sessions, including at the Drijver Goalie Academy. This system works for every keeper, regardless of their age, level or style. “In recent years, the position of keeper has changed enormously. That’s why I continually adjust my training philosophy. It’s something I’m always working on.”