Inside the Circle with Jonas de Geus: Olympic Gold, Dutch Hockey and Mastering the Basics
Few players get to experience hockey at the very highest level while still feeling so closely connected to the clubs and teammates that helped them get there.
Jonas de Geus has done exactly that.
From growing up playing hockey in the streets around Almere to winning Olympic gold with the Netherlands in Paris, Jonas has built a career that includes more than 100 international appearances, major tournament medals and domestic success with Kampong.
In this edition of Inside the Circle, Jonas joins Total-Hockey to talk about his journey from childhood club Almere to the Dutch national team, the atmosphere of playing in front of some of the world's best hockey crowds, his long-standing relationship with Ritual, why he still prefers a relatively straight hockey stick and what winning Olympic gold really meant after 24 years of waiting for the Dutch men's team.
Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Jonas de Geus below, or keep reading for the biggest stories, insights and lessons from his journey through Dutch and international hockey.
Growing Up With Hockey in Almere
Jonas started playing hockey at around six years old.
Like plenty of players, family played an important role.
His older brother already played at Almere, while his younger sister would also become involved in the club.
But some of Jonas's earliest hockey memories didn't come from organised training.
They came from the street.
Jonas lived close to a school with a large open area where he and his friends could play with old hockey sticks.
Many of those friends were also his teammates.
They played together at the club.
Then they continued playing together outside it.
Hockey quickly became part of everyday life.
Ten Years From Junior Hockey to the First Team
Jonas progressed through Almere's junior system before making his senior debut at around 16.
That meant roughly a decade of developing inside the same club.
And the environment had a strong family feel.
Some of the players Jonas eventually won promotion alongside had previously coached him when he was much younger.
Everyone knew each other.
Players had grown up together.
Families had spent years around the club.
For Jonas, that history makes Almere much more than simply the place where his career started.
It's still a club he speaks about with enormous affection.
Helping Almere Reach the Hoofdklasse
One of the achievements highlighted in the interview is Almere's promotion to the Hoofdklasse.
It might not carry the same worldwide attention as an Olympic medal.
But for Jonas, it remains significant.
Helping your childhood club reach the highest level of Dutch hockey creates a completely different kind of achievement.
The players involved weren't simply professionals brought together for a season.
Many had grown up inside the same environment.
That connection made the success feel particularly special.
Making the Move to Kampong
Eventually, Jonas faced a difficult decision.
To continue developing, he believed he needed to move.
That took him to Kampong, one of the biggest hockey clubs in the Netherlands.
For a player who had spent most of his life at one club, leaving Almere wasn't easy.
But several factors influenced the move.
He wanted to improve.
He wanted to compete for titles.
He wanted to play in playoffs.
And he wanted to surround himself with a squad capable of challenging at the highest level.
Sometimes development means leaving an environment you love.
What Makes Kampong Special?
Kampong is different in scale.
The facilities are exceptional.
The club incorporates multiple sports rather than being solely dedicated to hockey, creating an atmosphere more comparable with some of the large multi-sport clubs found in countries such as Argentina.
For Jonas, the environment offers everything an elite player needs.
But it's the connection with supporters that makes winning particularly meaningful.
People don't simply turn up for a final.
They're there throughout the season.
Their children play at the club.
They may have played there themselves.
That gives the first team a strong connection with the wider Kampong community.
Winning the Dutch League
Jonas helped Kampong win the Hoofdklasse title.
And while comparing club trophies with international medals is difficult, he believes domestic success carries its own special meaning.
When a club wins, the celebration belongs to a relatively tight community.
The players.
Supporters.
Junior teams.
Parents.
Former players.
People who have spent years invested in the club.
Winning an international tournament feels enormous.
Winning with your club feels personal.
Breaking Into the Dutch National Team at 18
Jonas entered the Dutch senior national-team environment at just 18.
His first trip came in South Africa.
Some established Dutch players were away playing in the Hockey India League, which meant the touring group was larger and perhaps slightly less intimidating than it otherwise might have been.
But there were still plenty of players Jonas had grown up watching.
Suddenly those players were teammates.
When the full squad returned, the increase in level was obvious.
The speed.
The technical ability.
The tempo.
For an 18-year-old, it could be overwhelming.
But it was also exactly the environment required to keep improving.
Learning From the Players You Grew Up Watching
One particularly meaningful connection came through Valentin Verga.
Jonas had grown up around the same club environment.
He had played with Valentin's younger brother.
Their father had coached Jonas.
Then suddenly he was sharing the senior Dutch national-team environment with one of the players he'd previously looked up to.
That's one of the surreal parts of progressing through elite sport.
The players on television eventually become the people you're training beside.
Winning European Gold at Home
Jonas's early international career quickly produced a major highlight.
He made the Dutch squad for a European Championship played on home soil.
For a young player still finding his feet internationally, the situation almost reduced the pressure.
He could simply enjoy the experience.
If something went wrong, the attention wasn't necessarily going to fall on the teenager.
Instead, he got to experience one of the things Dutch hockey does exceptionally well:
a major tournament in front of a huge home crowd.
The Netherlands went on to win.
And for Jonas, it remains one of his favourite experiences on a hockey pitch.
What Makes Dutch Hockey Crowds Special?
Hockey doesn't regularly attract football-sized crowds.
That makes the biggest occasions feel even more special.
Jonas talks about the energy generated by Dutch supporters when the national team is playing.
A goal.
A penalty corner.
A big defensive moment.
The crowd reacts to everything.
And the players feel it.
Paris would later take that support to an entirely different level.
Playing Hockey in India
If Dutch crowds are impressive, India offers another experience altogether.
Jonas has played major tournaments there and describes the atmosphere as extraordinary.
During one tournament, the Netherlands faced India in front of a passionate home crowd.
Every time India crossed the halfway line, the noise increased.
Then the Netherlands equalised.
Suddenly the entire stadium became almost silent.
For Jonas, the contrast was unforgettable.
Why India Is Such a Special Hockey Country
India brings a level of hockey enthusiasm few countries can match.
The supporters turn up.
They understand the sport.
And when India are playing, the atmosphere can become incredibly intense.
Jonas also highlights Argentina as another country where supporters can create a brilliant environment.
For international players, those experiences are part of what makes travelling with a national team so memorable.
Different countries bring different hockey cultures.
What Makes a Great Hockey Pitch?
Interestingly, when Jonas thinks about favourite club venues, the crowd isn't always the first thing that comes to mind.
It's the pitch.
And his main requirement is simple:
It needs to be fast.
A fast surface changes how the game feels.
Passing becomes quicker.
Receiving demands more control.
The overall tempo increases.
For a midfielder who values clean basics and ball control, the quality of the pitch matters enormously.
Why Jonas de Geus Uses Ritual Hockey
Jonas has used Ritual Hockey for most of his senior career.
The relationship started when he was around 16 or 17.
A teammate who was involved with Ritual encouraged him to try the sticks.
It didn't take much convincing.
Jonas liked how the stick felt.
And he's stayed with the brand ever since.
What Hockey Stick Does Jonas de Geus Use?
Jonas uses the Ritual Response 95.
And unlike many modern elite players, he prefers a relatively straight stick.
People sometimes ask whether he should use something with a more aggressive bow.
His answer is effectively:
Why?
The Response suits his game.
It helps him receive the ball.
It gives him confidence when passing.
And he feels the ball stays connected to the stick.
You Don't Need the Most Extreme Bow
The Response isn't necessarily designed to make every aerial or 3D skill as easy as possible.
But that's not what Jonas builds his game around.
His priorities are different.
First touch.
Passing.
Receiving.
Control.
For his style, a straighter profile works.
That's one of the best equipment lessons from the interview.
Don't choose a hockey stick because somebody tells you a particular bow is more advanced.
Choose the one that supports what you actually do on the pitch.
Why Players Overcomplicate Hockey
Jonas believes players can overcomplicate more than just equipment.
They can overcomplicate the game itself.
There's always another overhead.
Another lift.
Another 3D skill.
Another flashy technique.
But when Jonas thinks about some of the best players he's played alongside, what stands out isn't necessarily the spectacular stuff.
It's their basics.
Great Players Make the Basics Look Easy
Jonas uses Robert van der Horst as an example.
His receiving ability was so good that it always seemed as though he had more time than everyone else.
Where another player might struggle to control the ball and immediately come under pressure, an elite first touch creates time.
That isn't flashy.
But it can completely change a game.
A clean reception gives you options.
A good pass keeps the team moving.
Strong basics make everything else easier.
How Can Young Players Improve?
The lesson is simple:
Don't overlook the fundamentals because they aren't exciting enough for social media.
Work on receiving.
Work on passing.
Work on controlling the ball under pressure.
If those skills become exceptional, the more complicated techniques can be added later.
But without strong foundations, flashy skills won't make you a complete player.
How Jonas Sets Up His Hockey Stick
Jonas isn't particularly concerned about the exact weight or balance point of his sticks.
His instruction is generally to keep them similar to what he's used before.
But the grip?
That's another story.
The original grip comes off immediately.
He prefers a layered setup with different thicknesses through the handle.
Why Grip Thickness Matters
Jonas likes the top of the stick to feel slightly thicker and firmer.
That gives him more security when hitting.
Further down the handle, where his right hand moves during dribbling and receiving, he prefers a thinner feel.
He also uses a Karakal grip as part of the final setup.
The result is a handle tailored specifically to how he plays.
The Gold Medallist Who Doesn't Grip His Own Stick
There is one slight problem.
Jonas doesn't like doing the grip himself.
He's perfectly capable of it.
He just doesn't think he does it as well as the person who's been preparing his sticks for years.
That person is Terrance Pieters.
Terrance knows exactly how Jonas wants the grip to feel and has been helping him with it since their junior hockey days.
So if you've ever asked somebody else to grip your hockey stick and felt slightly guilty about it, don't.
An Olympic gold medallist does the same thing.
Tokyo vs Paris
Jonas has now experienced two completely different Olympic Games.
Tokyo was his first.
There were no crowds.
Masks were part of daily life.
COVID tests happened every morning.
Athletes couldn't freely leave the Olympic Village.
Even with the Olympic rings everywhere, the tournament could sometimes feel strangely disconnected from the spectacle players had imagined.
Jonas says there were moments when it almost felt like a test match.
Paris couldn't have been more different.
Why Paris Felt Like a Home Olympics
Paris is relatively close to the Netherlands.
That meant enormous numbers of Dutch supporters could travel.
Suddenly the stands were filled with orange.
The city itself also played a role.
Olympic events were staged around some of Paris's most recognisable landmarks, creating a feeling that the Games had taken over the entire city.
For Jonas, it created exactly the atmosphere Tokyo had been missing.
Paris felt like an Olympic Games.
And at times, it almost felt like a home tournament.
Why Olympic Hockey Is So Intense
Despite being surrounded by one of the world's most famous cities, the players didn't exactly spend the tournament sightseeing.
The Olympic hockey schedule is relentless.
Five pool matches arrive in a short period.
Then the knockout rounds begin.
Game.
Rest.
Game.
Rest.
Game.
Recovery becomes everything.
Even walking around the huge Olympic Village can add unnecessary fatigue.
That's why athletes aren't necessarily rushing out to watch other sports.
Their priority remains the next match.
The Famous Olympic Village Muffins
One temptation was harder to avoid.
The famous Paris Olympic Village chocolate muffins.
Jonas admits he had one or two before the tournament ended.
Afterwards?
There were a few more.
Pizza also became considerably more acceptable once the hockey was finished.
During competition, however, the Dutch coaching staff reminded the squad why they were there.
Enjoy the food later.
Perform now.
There Are No Easy Olympic Matches
One thing Jonas learned from Tokyo was never to assume an Olympic match will be straightforward.
Every country prepares for years.
Even teams with smaller budgets can direct enormous focus towards the Olympic cycle.
That produces a tournament where rankings don't always tell the full story.
Jonas remembers facing South Africa in Tokyo in a match people assumed the Netherlands would win comfortably.
After the opening quarter, South Africa were 3–0 ahead.
That's the Olympics.
Why the Olympics Bring Out the Best in Teams
Every team arrives prepared to perform at its absolute maximum.
Some countries might not have the same year-round resources as the Netherlands.
But when Olympic qualification is secured, that tournament becomes the priority.
Training camps.
Preparation matches.
Analysis.
Everything points towards those two weeks.
That's why Olympic hockey can feel different from almost any other competition.
The Road to Olympic Gold
The Netherlands eventually reached the Paris final against Germany.
After a tight match, the gold medal was decided by a shootout.
The Dutch won.
It was Jonas's first Olympic gold medal.
And it ended a 24-year wait for the Dutch men's hockey team.
For the players, however, that historical gap wasn't necessarily something they'd carried around.
Many were at their first Olympics.
Some were at their second.
They weren't responsible for what had happened during the previous 24 years.
They could only focus on the tournament in front of them.
Did Winning in a Shootout Make It Better?
Not really.
Jonas says he would have been just as happy winning 1–0 in normal time.
A shootout creates drama for everyone watching.
For the players?
The important bit is the gold medal.
How you get there quickly becomes secondary.
But the shootout undoubtedly created one of the most memorable finishes of the Paris Games.
Celebrating With the Dutch Fans
Winning the medal was only the beginning of the celebration.
The Dutch team went to the Netherlands House after the final.
Thousands of supporters were waiting.
For hockey players who aren't accustomed to enormous celebrations every week, it was surreal.
The players were still running on adrenaline.
The supporters were celebrating.
And suddenly a hockey team was receiving the kind of attention normally associated with the biggest sports in the world.
Why Olympic Gold Feels Different
Jonas has won plenty in hockey.
But Olympic gold has a reach that other hockey competitions simply can't match.
If you win a Hockey World Cup, hockey fans understand exactly how significant it is.
People outside the sport might not.
The Olympics are different.
Everyone knows what an Olympic gold medal means.
People who rarely watch sport understand it.
That gives Olympic success a unique level of visibility.
Celebrating at the Eiffel Tower
The celebrations continued the following day.
Medallists were honoured close to the Eiffel Tower.
For Jonas, even the location felt surreal.
Thousands of supporters.
Olympic champions.
One of the world's most famous landmarks.
It created another moment where the players could finally appreciate the scale of what they had achieved.
Watching the Dutch Women Win Gold Too
The following day, the Dutch women's team had their own Olympic final.
Most of the men's squad watched from the Netherlands House.
Partly because the atmosphere there had been so incredible after their own final.
And, as Jonas admits, partly because beer wasn't available inside the sporting venues.
The women's final also went to a shootout.
They won too.
Two Dutch hockey gold medals.
One extraordinary Olympic Games.
Growing Up With the Same Teammates
One reason the men's victory felt particularly meaningful was the amount of shared history inside the squad.
Many of the players had progressed through Dutch youth hockey together.
Under-16s.
Under-18s.
Under-21s.
Then the senior national team.
At the post-Olympic celebrations, a group of players recreated a photo connected to a junior World Cup they'd played years earlier.
Different stage.
Same teammates.
New medal.
Why Long-Term Team Relationships Matter
When you've known teammates for years, winning together carries extra meaning.
You know what they've been through.
You've watched them develop.
You've shared tournaments before anyone outside hockey knew who you were.
Then suddenly you're standing together with Olympic gold medals.
That long-term development also says something about the strength of the Dutch system.
Players aren't simply being brought together at senior level.
They're growing through the pathway together.
Giving Back to the Club
Kampong also tries to connect its elite players with younger members.
The first-team schedule makes regular coaching difficult.
Elite players can be on the pitch almost every day.
But there are still opportunities for first-team players to support junior teams, run sessions and remain visible around the club.
That matters.
A young player who meets a first-team star is much more likely to want to come back and watch the senior match.
Those connections help build the club community.
Why Time Away From Hockey Matters
Despite everything hockey has given him, Jonas doesn't believe more hockey is always the answer.
Elite schedules are intense.
Training every day.
Matches.
National-team camps.
Travel.
Rehab.
Analysis.
Sometimes stepping away is essential.
Too much time immersed in the sport can eventually make players tired of it.
And that's the last thing you want.
Life Beyond the Pitch
Jonas has always combined hockey with something else.
He completed both a bachelor's and master's degree in finance at the University of Amsterdam.
Now he also works alongside his hockey career.
For him, that outside focus is important.
If training goes badly, hockey doesn't have to dominate the rest of the day.
Studying or working gives his mind somewhere else to go.
Why Elite Athletes Need Something Else
When hockey becomes your entire life, every bad session can feel enormous.
A poor training session follows you home.
A bad match stays in your head.
Having work, study, friends and relationships outside the sport creates perspective.
Jonas enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, spending time with friends and going out for dinner.
Nothing particularly complicated.
Just enough to remind him that hockey is a huge part of life — but not the only part.
What Can Hockey Players Learn From Jonas de Geus?
Jonas's career offers plenty of lessons.
The first is master the basics.
You don't need the most extreme bow or the flashiest skills to become an Olympic champion.
Receiving, passing and controlling the ball exceptionally well can take you an incredibly long way.
The second is choose equipment for your game.
The Ritual Response 95 works for Jonas because it supports how he wants to play.
Another player may need something completely different.
Third, don't be afraid to leave a comfortable environment if you believe another one will help you improve.
Leaving Almere wasn't easy.
But Kampong gave Jonas an opportunity to compete for major titles and continue developing.
And finally, enjoy the journey with the people around you.
Some of Jonas's Olympic teammates are players he's known since junior hockey.
The friends who started playing in the streets eventually became part of a pathway towards the biggest stage in the sport.
From old sticks outside a school in Almere to Olympic gold in Paris, that's quite a journey.
Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Jonas de Geus to hear more about Dutch hockey, Paris 2024, Kampong, Ritual sticks and the lessons behind becoming an Olympic champion.
