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KHC Dragons

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dragons
Full nameKoninklijke Hockey Club Dragons
Nickname(s)The Reds, The Dragons
LeagueMen's Belgian Hockey League
Women's Belgian Hockey League
Founded26 October 1946;78 years ago(1946-10-26)
Home groundThe Mansion of Dragons,Brasschaat
WebsiteClub website
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Koninklijke Hockey Club Dragons,also known asKHC Dragonsor simplyDragons,is a Belgian professionalfield hockeyclub based inBrasschaat,Antwerp Province.The club was founded in 1946.[1][2][3]Since the end of the eighties the club competes in Belgium's first tier, Honour Division.

History

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HC Dragons were founded on the 26th of October 1946 at Café Royal inBerchem.With only 11 members the club played recreational hockey in the Belgian lower divisions.

Before moving in 1961 to the present location in Brasschaat the club played on different fields aroundAntwerp.The club's turning point came in 1981 when Jacques Daems became the president of the club. It was his ambition that the club should be one of the best in Belgium. A few years later the club installed its first artificial turf and promoted in 1988 to the Honour Division. A year later the women's team promoted to the Honour Division as well.

In 1996 the club celebrated its 50th anniversary and changed its name toKoninklijke Hockey Club Dragons(Royal Hockey Club Dragons). Meanwhile, the club installed its second artificial turf and the club won its first silverware when the women's team won in 1994 the Belgian double.

Ather the first successes with the women's team, the men's team won its first championship in 1997. Ever since both Dragons men and women are considered Belgian top teams.

Together with the rise of Belgian hockey, Dragons flourished as well at the European level. After winning its 6th national title in 2010 Dragons participated for the first time in theEuro Hockey League.Beating the reigningUHC Hamburg.One year later Dragons won the Bronze medal and played the EHL final 2013.

Besides the successes, the club kept growing in numbers and added a third artificial turf in 2013. In 2015 Dragons was the host of theWorld LeagueSemi-Final and added even a fourth field. At the moment KHC Dragons count 1500 members and are the biggest hockey club in Belgium.

Pronunciation

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In English communication, the club is often pronounced in an English manner. Officially though, the club has to be pronounced in the French way(drʁagõ)without 's'.

Therefore, the Dragons (De Draken) is a nickname for the players. (sometimes female players are referred to asDragonettes).

Players

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Current squad

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Men's squad

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As of 2021–22[4]

Head coach:NetherlandsDennis Dijkshoorn

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 MF BEL Victor Foubert
2 GK BEL Loic Van Doren
4 MF BEL Lucas Putters
5 DF BEL Max Lootens
7 MF BEL Robbert Rubens
8 GK BEL Vincent Schroyen
9 DF BEL Mathew Cobbaert
10 FW ARG Nicolás Della Torre
11 FW BEL Florent Van Aubel
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 DF BEL Timothy Luyten
13 MF BEL Simon Gougnard
17 DF BEL Sebastiaan Geers
19 MF BEL Félix Denayer(Captain)
20 DF BEL Robert Snoeck
21 GK BEL Frédréric Beeckman
22 FW ARG Lucas Martínez
23 FW BEL Henri Raes
27 DF IRE Conor Harte

Women's squad

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As of 2021–22[5]

Head coach: Justus Robert

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK BEL Marie Goethals De Mude
2 GK NED Roos Knijff
3 MF ARG Rocio Emme
5 DF BEL Stephanie De Groof(Captain)
7 DF BEL Ophélie Marien
8 MF GER Anabel Herzsprung
9 MF NED Imke Verstraeten
10 FW NED Fleur Broers
11 MF NED Valerie Magis
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 MF BEL Fleur Verboven
14 FW BEL Manon Simons
15 FW BEL Abigail Raye
17 MF BEL Delphine Marien
18 FW BEL Margaux Struyf
23 MF ARG Jimena Cedrés
24 DF BEL Carolien Jakus
25 DF URU Manuela Vilar del Valle

Notable players

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Men's internationals

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Belgium
Ireland

Source:[6][7]

Women's internationals

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Belgium
Ireland
Italy

Source:[8]

Honours

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Men

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Belgian Hockey League
  • Winners (12):1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18,2020–21
Euro Hockey League
EuroHockey Club Trophy
  • Winners (1):2001
  • Runners-up (1):1998
EuroHockey Cup Winners Trophy
  • Winners (2):2003, 2005
Belgian Cup
  • Winners (3):1993, 2002, 2005
Belgian Indoor Championship
  • Winners (1):1999

Women

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Belgian Hockey League
  • Winners (1):1993–94
EuroHockey Club Trophy
Belgian Cup
  • Winners (2):1994, 2005

Belgian Indoor Championship

  • Winners (1):1997

References

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  1. ^":: KHC Dragons::".Retrieved2015-02-01.
  2. ^"KHC Dragons - Twitter".Retrieved2015-02-01.
  3. ^"Championnat de Belgique de hockey - Competitions".Retrieved2015-02-01.
  4. ^"Club detail Dragons - Men".
  5. ^"Club detail Dragons -Women".
  6. ^"O'Donoghue and Good continue Dragons' Irish connection".ehlhockey.tv.Retrieved7 September2018.
  7. ^"Shimmins set to breathe fire with Dragons next season".www.hookhockey.com. 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018.Retrieved7 September2018.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^"Beatty, Lloyd and Carey set for foreign pastures".www.hookhockey.com. 12 July 2016. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018.Retrieved31 August2018.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)