Double Dutch plus one: Van Dessel sisters take family legacy to a new level

By: Quinn Casteel
Staff Writer

The Van Dessel family name runs deep on the VCU field hockey roster.

The Dutch last name has become a trademark of the program as twins Flore and Marle Van Dessel have developed into two of the team’s cornerstone players since arriving from Oisterwijk, Netherlands four years ago. Although the twins are in the midst of their senior seasons, the Van Dessel era at VCU is just getting started. Their younger sister Rymme has chosen the same path and is earning significant playing time as a freshman fullback.

What was supposed to be a one-year stint in the U.S. for the twins has turned into two of the most illustrious careers in VCU field hockey history, and perhaps the beginning of a third.

“We planned on staying one year, that’s what a lot of Dutch players do.” said Flore. “They come here to take a year off, but we fell in love with VCU.”

To the dismay of many CAA opponents, Flore and Marle never wanted to leave VCU and have not looked back. Coming into the season, Flore ranked seventh in school history with 17 career assists, and has one under her belt through the first 10 games of this year. Marle, a scoring-oriented midfielder, began 2010 as VCU’s sixth-leading goal-scorer of all time. She has already racked up four more this season and is currently tied for second on the team with nine points.

While Marle has proven herself as one of the most lethal scorers in the Conference, it is her sister’s stroke that she has the most faith in. When asked who they would want to see taking a penalty stroke with the CAA Championship on the line, the answer was quick and unanimous. Without any hesitation, both Marle and Rymme pointed right at Flore, who has been one of the team’s most clutch players this season. She hit the game winning stroke in overtime against the University of Richmond on Sept. 8 to avenge back-to-back overtime losses to the Spiders in their two previous meetings.

Flore’s payback winner against Richmond is symbolic of the type of season the Van Dessel twins are hoping for in 2010 — a bid for redemption.

“We’re trying to prove a point” said Flore. “That VCU is here to stay, and to show the field hockey world that we weren’t just a fluke.”

Despite their equally impressive lists of individual achievements, personal legacy is an afterthought in the twins’ minds compared to their respect for the program.

“The main goal right now is the CAA tournament.” added Marle. “And hopefully make the NCAA’s, but you can’t set one goal until you reach the other one so right now making the tournament would be great.”

While Flore and Marle begin the final stretch of their decorated careers, little sister Rymme is just getting started. As a freshman, she is already making regular contributions as a fullback, the last line of defense protecting the goalkeeper. Although her natural position is midfield, she has recently switched to the defensive side where she avoids being buried behind her sisters on the depth chart.

Ironically, it was actually because of Rymme that her older sisters ended up at VCU. Back in the Netherlands four summers ago when Flore and Marle were deciding on their futures, they were watching their younger sister play in a tournament when they saw VCU’s former coach handing out flyers. Rymme was just a high school freshman at the time and was not yet looking into schools, but her sisters took a flyer. VCU’s culture of Dutch players attracted them to the program, and they made the team as walk-ons later that year.

Her sisters’ decision to attend and then stay at VCU would make Rymme’s choice a very easy one when the time came. Although she would have had other options, she knew VCU had something to offer that no other school could.

“That’s the reason why I came to VCU — to play with my sisters.” said Rymme. “I didn’t even look at other schools because they didn’t have my sisters.”

Rymme credits her older sisters for helping her adjust to the American style of field hockey in addition to American culture. All three Van Dessel sisters agree that the Dutch game is generally more refined skill-wise, but the American game is faster and more physically demanding. Getting used to the firm, bouncy nature of the artificial turfs here was difficult at first for Rymme, but having sisters who went through the exact same adjustment period made the process much easier for her. The extra help does not extend much further however, to avoid any potentially unfair nepotism.

“Off the field we try to separate as much as possible because it would kind of be an advantage for [Rymme] to be the insider on the team.” said Flore. “We have family dinners with the parents and we see each other as sisters, but on the field we are just teammates.”

Family dinners occur a lot more frequently these days as well; the Van Dessel parents, Thierry and Yolande, re-located to Richmond this year so they could watch their daughters play together. Thierry currently works at VCU’s MCV campus doing research. With such a close-knit family dynamic, it is no coincidence that the Van Dessel sisters mesh so well on the field.

“We are really close.” noted Marle. “It’s one sister after another out there, we all play right behind each other.” added Flore.

Unfortunately for VCU field hockey, there are no more sisters coming in behind Rymme. However, a combined twelve years of service to the program might just be enough to get people to remember the Van Dessel name for years to come.


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