Today’s Juror for the Female category is Arno Havenga — former Dutch player and current coach. He was playing with the Dutch National Team in their most crucial moments, at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.
As far as his coaching career is concerned, he started as an assistant coach to Robin van Galen. Later, Havenga took over the team as a head coach and led them to a handful of silver medals (2015 World Aquatics Championships, European Championships).
See his Top 5 for the Female category!
Arno Havenga’s Total 5 of 2018
1st – Catharina “Sabrina” van der Sloot
Dutch National Player | Club: AS Orizzonte Catania | Position: Wing
“Sabrina is an excellent player in the field but she’s also a role model for other athletes. This season she was the key player of the Dutch team and was awarded two times as the MVP of the tournament (World League Super Final and European Championships). In both tournaments, she played the finals, silver at the WLSF and gold at the EC. She has used her perfect physical condition, her speed, and excellent shot to achieve a dominating performance in all competitions she played. And the best is, she will become even better in the next years!”
2nd – Maud Megens
Dutch National Player | Club: USC | Position: Field player
“Maud is a very talented and special player. Her attitude makes her play very unpredictable for her opponents and she is using her skills better and better with each match. She was one of the key players of the Dutch team last summer and was awarded as the top scorer at the World League Super Final. Her physical condition, her shot and technical skills brought her to one of the players to watch in the previous season but even more in the following years. She is an independent individual who learned a lot and started appreciating and enjoying going along with her team more and more!”
3rd – Kiley Neushul
USA National Player | Club: CN Sabadell | Position: Driver
“Kiley is one of the most important players of the USA team. The way she plays looks very simple but the truth is far from that. Technically she is more than good, but the way she reads the game and helps out her other teammates play better, is one of the reasons why she is on this list.”
4th – Maica Garcia Godoy
Spanish National Player | Club: CN Sabadell | Position: Centre Forward
“Maica is the best center player you can find in women’s Water Polo at the moment. There is a big concurrence on this position, but when Maica is in the water, she’s always trouble for the opponents. Her power and capability to take the position and score goals is a special talent that she has in her sleeve! And also in defense, Maica is using her strength in one-on-one duels, so that makes her one of the key players in the women’s Water Polo circles!”
5th – Laura Aarts
Dutch National Player | Club: Dunaújvárosi FVE | Position: Goalkeeper
“Laura had a very good performance this summer, probably her best so far. During the European Championships, she was dominating in her goal and had a very important “lock on the door” in the defense of the Dutch team. She was chosen the best goalkeeper of this Championship and, together with her performance and win in the LEN Cup with her club, that makes her nomination more than reasonable!”
