Australia's
HOCKEY PITCH
7
WHAT'S NewS Issue 2 February 1998
sponsorship news
The ciock is ticking down for the World Cup Hockey
championship, which will be held in Utrecht from
May 20 until June 1In January, as the Dutch Men's
Hockey Team arrived to train in the warm antipodes
summer, Rabobank Australia was there to extend a
welcoming hand.
Ab Gillhaus - of our Sydney operation -
^organized a congenial party that gave
players a refreshing break from their
tough training schedule and the tedium of
conventional sports ceremonies.
Dispensing with speeches and other
formalities, this event was as festive as it
was informal, and its relaxed start in the
Gillhaus' own back yard set a laid-back
tone for the entire day. After cooling off
around the swimming pool, players and
guests were treated to what the
Australians universally call a 'barbie' or
backyard barbecue. The menu included
everything from emu meat to kangaroo
burgers and crocodile sausages (all
delicacies rumoured to have important
performance-enhancing properties), which
was washed down hy healthful quantities
of liquid refreshment - which is, needless
to say, a sensible precaution to he
Pthserved when training in hot tropical
cl i mes.
APPRECIATION
The 26-man complement of 1 8 players
and 8 trainers made themselves right at
home. Other invited guests included
members from our Sydney banking team
and other Australia-based Dutch
compatriots. As guests mingled and got to
know each other, some members of the
hockey team were already familiar with
Rabobank, like Stephan Veen, captain of
the championship team at the 1996
Olympic games in Atlanta, and currently a
management trainee in Utrecht. The team
brought considerate gifts, a plaque of
appreciation, and a few words of thanks
for Rabobank International and its local
affiliate.
GRUELING SCHEDULE
With lunch and these minimal formalities
complete, everyone was piled onto a bus
and driven to Manly, a strip of yellow
sand that is internationally acclaimed as
one of Australia's finest surfing beaches.
Here, they were given T-shirts, surfboards,
and instruction on how to ride the waves
- a skill that proved a lot harder than it
seemed. Still, some succeeded in staying
The Dutch natiotial men's hockey team enjoying their Australian visit.
Dutch bockeyplayers before their first
surfing experience.
upright for as long as five seconds, and a
good time was had by all. The January
event provided a welcome break from a
grueling training schedule that is designed
to deliver a gold medal performance at the
championship games in three months'
time. As the team trains, the bank itself is
deeply involved in organizational
preparations for an event that we are lead
sponsoring.
SPONSORSHIP MILESTONE
Our involvement in World Cup Hockey,
which will embrace both the women's and
men's competitions, represents something
of a milestone in our sponsorship activity,
since it coincides with the celebration of
our own centenary year as well as that of
the Royal Dutch Hockey Federation. As
for the choice of hockey, it dovetails nicely
with our own centennial theme: 'Teamplay
for the Future'. Hockey represents
teamplay at its best. Of the 17 countries
with teams competing at the World Cup,
14 of them have an R1 office or
representative. Hence the championship
provides an important opportunity for
cliënt networking and hospitality - and Rl
offices outside the Netherlands are being
offered the chance to join a specially
tailored hospitality program that includes
hotel accommodation, airport transfers,
VIP seats and receptions. For details
contact Rl marketing on
telephone: +31 30 216 2804.
Please note: Men's semifinals are scheduled
for Saturday 30 May, the Women's finals on
31 May and Men's finals on 1 June.
