Lonneke Slöetjes will at least stop playing volleyball until January 1, 2021. The diagonal player of Orange and the Italian top club Savino Del Bene Scandicci say they are ready for a break and are not sure if she will continue her career afterwards.
“The constant combination of club volleyball and national team has been very stressful for me in the past decade,” Slöetjes says on the website of volleyball association Nevobo on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Achterhoekse has been playing for the Dutch team since 2008 and was there four years ago at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The downside is that the Orange squad failed to qualify for the Tokyo Games in early 2020, which have been postponed until the summer of 2021 due to the corona virus.
“There were of course many wonderful moments”, Slöetjes continues. “But lately I have lost a bit of fun in the game. I now listen to my heart, and that says: no volleyball for a while.”
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Lonneke Slöetjes in action during the 2019 World Cup. (Photo: Getty Images)
‘Curious what I still have to offer’
This summer, the 302-time international will resume her business studies and she has no further plans. “I am very curious about what else I have to offer. I do not really know what I will be doing from January on. I will be investigating that in the coming months.”
Joop Alberda, technical director of Nevobo, respects Slöetjes’ decision. “The heavy burden on top players is a big focus for us. We understand that it is sometimes necessary for an athlete to build in a period of reflection and we make a policy to offer space here,” said Alberda.
Incidentally, the association is still looking for a national coach for the volleyball players. In March, Italian Giovanni Caprara decided not to sign up because he wants to spend more time with his family.
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