Adam Dixon makes move to top Dutch league
Hockey player Adam Dixon is looking forward to playing in the biggest league in the world after moving to the Netherlands.
The 29-year-old former Newark Hockey Club junior will be competing for HC Rotterdam, one of the giants in the top division.
He leaves Beeston Hockey Club, where he has spent the past 18 seasons, but said the lure of Dutch hockey was too hard to resist.
“I signed back in May, but my mind had been made up long before that. It’s the biggest league in the world and it will be great to be part of it,” Dixon said.
“Over here the sport is a lot more prominent than it is back home in the UK. From the apartment you look out and see so many kids with the kit on their way to training.
“The sport is everywhere and I have wanted to experience it for a long time. After the Olympics the hockey scene dies down a little and it seemed like the perfect timing.
“I am house-sharing with a Kiwi player who was at the Games, and I think this year there are a lot of international players coming to join.”
Dixon won a trophy in his first week as HC Rotterdam claimed the ABN AMRO Cup — a pre-season tournament.
Two of the victories came through penalty shuffles, against HC Amsterdam and last season’s league champions SV Kampong.
Dixon said he would still keep a close eye on former-club Beeston’s progress, and backed them to do well.
“I moved from Newark to Beeston when I was 12 and started playing in the first team when I was 15. There have been a lot of great memories,” he said.
“I will be looking out for their scores every week and keeping in touch with the lads, but they have some great talent there and I know they will be fine.”
Dixon is taking the next step in his hockey journey after a disappointing tournament at the Rio Olympics.
'A real mixed bag of emotions'
While the women’s team made history with a gold medal, the men were unable to find their top form and went out at the group stage.
“It was a real mixed bag of emotions. Our intention was to come back with an Olympic gold medal, and it’s something I had been dreaming about for years,” said Dixon.
“We drew with Spain and knew we hadn’t done all we could to qualify it was extremely disappointing when we knew we weren’t going to make it. After that it wasn’t particularly a great atmosphere.”
Despite the disappointment on the pitch, Dixon said his first Olympic Games was an amazing experience.
“We got there really early and saw the whole Olympic village and everything was a lot bigger than I had been expecting,” he said.
“The greatest moment was the women’s hockey final. We thought we weren’t going to be able to get in but managed to get a ticket last minute.
“To be there and to see people like Shona (McCallin) and some of the girls that we train around seven days a week made it special.
“When the men won the hockey back in 1988 they weren’t prepared to capitalise on it, but seeing all the girls all over the media has been great.
Dixon also managed to track down tennis star and GB flag bearer Andy Murray for a photo and also enjoyed watching Novak Djokovic on the practice courts.
