Inside the Circle with Nico de Kerpel: Belgium Hockey, Olympic Gold and Building a Winning Generation

Few hockey players get to experience one major international title.

Nico de Kerpel has been part of a Belgium side that won almost everything.

World Cup gold.

European Championship gold.

Pro League success.

Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Since making his senior Belgium debut in 2017, Nico has accumulated more than 140 international caps and experienced one of the most successful periods in Belgian hockey history.

But the medals only tell part of the story.

In this edition of Inside the Circle, Nico joins Total-Hockey to talk about growing up in Belgium, progressing through a youth system he openly admits he didn’t always enjoy, becoming part of a generation that transformed Belgian hockey, balancing a full-time national programme with club commitments, his long relationship with Gryphon, Olympic gold in Tokyo, the disappointment of Paris and why the sport needs to continue evolving if it wants to attract new audiences.

Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Nico de Kerpel below, or keep reading for the biggest stories, insights and lessons from his journey with Belgium’s golden generation.

Growing Up in a Hockey Family

Like plenty of hockey players, Nico’s introduction to the sport came through his parents.

He started at around four years old.

There wasn’t exactly a dramatic moment where he decided hockey was going to become his life.

His parents played.

So he played too.

For much of his childhood, hockey wasn’t the only sport either.

Nico also played tennis and continued doing both until around 14 or 15.

Eventually, the demands of youth international hockey forced a decision.

Continue splitting time between different activities?

Or commit fully to the sport where things were starting to become serious?

Nico chose hockey.

Why Playing Multiple Sports Still Matters

Although hockey eventually became the priority, Nico’s early experience reflects something plenty of elite athletes talk about.

You don’t necessarily need to specialise immediately.

Different sports can create different skills.

They also keep sport enjoyable.

Eventually, there may come a point where training schedules make it impossible to do everything.

But before that, experiencing different sports can be valuable.

Nico plans to take a similar approach with his own children.

Encourage them to be active.

Try different sports.

Then allow them to decide what they genuinely enjoy.

Club Hockey Rather Than School Hockey

Nico’s experience growing up in Belgium was quite different from countries such as Ireland or England.

School hockey wasn’t a major part of the system.

Hockey happened through clubs.

School happened during the day.

Training happened afterwards.

That created a fairly simple development structure.

Rather than balancing school coaches and club coaches, most of Nico’s development came through one club environment.

Listening to Different Coaches

That doesn’t mean one system is automatically better.

Nico believes players ultimately need to learn how to take useful information from the people around them.

Different coaches will have different opinions.

Different ideas.

Different tactical approaches.

The player’s responsibility is to listen, understand and decide what helps them improve.

Surrounding yourself with the right people becomes more important as your career progresses.

Entering Belgium’s Youth Pathway

Nico entered Belgium’s development system at under-14 level.

Players competed first through regional or provincial programmes.

The strongest were then selected for national age-group squads.

From there, the pathway continued through under-16s, under-18s and under-21s.

For many players, once they entered that system and performed well, they remained part of the core group for several years.

Nico followed that route.

But that doesn’t mean he loved every minute of it.

Why Nico Didn’t Enjoy Youth International Hockey

One of the most honest parts of the interview is Nico admitting he sometimes hated the youth programme.

Not hockey.

The structure.

He describes himself as a naturally playful player.

The youth programme could feel more rigid.

Coaches told players where to stand.

What to do.

How to behave.

For Nico, that sometimes felt restrictive.

He even stepped away from the youth national programme more than once.

Sometimes You Need the Coaching You Don’t Like

Interestingly, Nico now looks back with a different perspective.

He didn’t enjoy the strict environment.

But he also believes he needed it.

The discipline forced him to develop mentally.

It challenged him.

It created standards.

And even though he didn’t always appreciate that at the time, he believes the experience helped shape the player he became.

That’s an important lesson.

The coach you enjoy working with most isn’t necessarily always the coach who challenges you most effectively.

Physical Development Doesn’t Happen at the Same Time

Nico also remembers struggling physically during the earlier age groups.

He was relatively small at under-14 and under-16 level.

Other players developed physically earlier.

His growth spurt arrived later, around under-18 level.

Suddenly the gap disappeared.

That experience highlights another reality of youth selection:

Young players develop at very different rates.

The strongest player at 14 isn’t automatically going to be the strongest at 24.

Four Years Away Before the Senior Team

After progressing through Belgium’s youth pathway, Nico spent several years outside the national setup before eventually earning a senior opportunity.

That gap matters.

It shows that progression doesn’t always follow a straight line from under-14s to senior international hockey.

Players can move in and out of programmes.

Development continues at club level.

Opportunities can return.

Eventually, Nico was selected for the senior Belgium squad.

What followed was one of the most successful periods any international hockey team has produced.

Belgium Goes Full-Time

Belgium’s transformation wasn’t accidental.

By 2018, the national programme had moved towards a full-time model.

The squad trained together throughout the week while still maintaining important links with their clubs.

That balance is central to the Belgian system.

Players are paid through both environments.

Both environments need them.

And both contribute to development.

What Does a Typical Belgium Training Week Look Like?

A normal week can involve national-team commitments from Monday through Thursday.

The exact volume changes depending on the training cycle.

Some weeks are lighter.

Others are moderate.

Others are deliberately heavy.

Players then transition back into club hockey towards the end of the week.

Thursday evening and Friday can involve club training.

Sunday brings the domestic match.

Then the cycle starts again.

Why Belgium Still Values Club Hockey

This is particularly interesting compared with some fully centralised international programmes.

Belgium still gives internationals meaningful time with their clubs.

Nico believes that helps raise the level of domestic hockey.

When national-team players return to club training, standards immediately increase.

Tempo increases.

Decision-making gets sharper.

Other players are pushed.

The whole environment benefits.

National Team vs Club: Finding the Balance

There is an obvious trade-off.

Every club session means one less national-team session.

Every national-team block removes players from their clubs.

There isn’t a perfect answer.

Nico openly admits Belgium probably hasn’t discovered the ideal balance either.

But the cooperation between federation and clubs has played an important part in strengthening the wider Belgian system.

Preparing for Major Tournaments

As a World Cup or Olympics approaches, the balance changes.

Once the domestic season ends, players transition fully into national-team preparation.

That gives Belgium a concentrated block of several weeks where the entire programme is focused on the major tournament.

For Nico, this makes more sense than removing players from their clubs unnecessarily months in advance.

Clubs invest heavily in players too.

The relationship has to work both ways.

What Hockey Stick Does Nico de Kerpel Use?

Nico has used Gryphon Hockey since around 2017.

And compared with some of the equipment obsessives within elite hockey, his approach is wonderfully simple.

He uses a Gryphon Tour Pro 25.

Beyond that?

He doesn’t spend much time thinking about the exact weight, balance point or carbon percentage.

The Complete Opposite of Jake Whetton

This makes an amusing contrast with fellow Gryphon player Jake Whetton.

Jake talked in detail about extremely specific stick weights, grips and balance.

Nico?

Give him the stick.

He’ll play.

He openly jokes that some teammates can tell immediately if a stick is a few grams different.

He can’t.

And he isn’t particularly worried about it.

A Good Player Should Be Able to Adapt

Nico believes equipment matters.

But it isn’t everything.

Technique matters.

Physical ability matters.

Tactical understanding matters.

Mental strength matters.

The stick is another part of the equation.

For young players especially, Nico questions whether chasing the most expensive stick available is always necessary.

A premium hockey stick won’t replace the need to develop the rest of your game.

Why Stick Feel Is Personal

That doesn’t mean every stick feels the same.

Some shapes will naturally suit particular players better than others.

But Nico believes elite players should be able to adapt reasonably well.

The equipment should help.

It shouldn’t become an excuse.

That’s one of the most refreshing perspectives in the interview.

Sometimes players can become so focused on specifications that they forget the most important thing is still how well they actually play hockey.

Nico’s Grip Setup

There is one area where Nico is more particular:

the grip.

He has large hands and prefers a thicker handle.

He starts with the standard Gryphon grip.

Adds another layer.

Then finishes with Tensoplast-style tape, the kind of adhesive bandage normally associated with medical use.

It gives him the thicker, tackier feel he likes.

Change Your Grip Before It’s Completely Destroyed

There is one flaw in the system.

Nico admits he doesn’t change it often enough.

Every time he finally replaces the grip, he immediately notices how much better the touch feels.

Then he waits too long before doing it again.

A highly relatable hockey-player habit.

Being Part of Belgium’s Golden Generation

From 2018 onwards, Belgium produced an extraordinary run of results.

World Cup champions.

European champions.

Pro League winners.

Olympic champions.

For Nico, joining that group meant entering an environment that had already spent years building towards success.

Some players in the Tokyo squad had also represented Belgium at Beijing 2008.

That gives an idea of how long the project had been developing.

Winning Takes Years

One of Nico’s biggest observations is that successful generations aren’t built in two or three seasons.

Players had spent years training together.

Losing together.

Developing.

Learning.

Building standards.

By the time Belgium became the dominant force in world hockey, much of that work had already been happening for a decade.

Why the Next Generation Can’t Simply Copy the Results

That creates an interesting challenge now.

Younger Belgian players enter the programme and see a team that won everything.

Naturally, they want the same results immediately.

But Nico warns that success doesn’t work like that.

Other countries are improving too.

They have full-time programmes.

Investment.

Excellent coaches.

Talented players.

Belgium isn’t working in isolation.

Everyone else is trying to become world champions as well.

Being Expected to Win Is Different

Once a team becomes successful, expectations change.

You’re no longer the challenger.

You’re the team people want to beat.

That creates another level of pressure.

Every opponent analyses you.

Every result gets judged differently.

Maintaining success can sometimes be harder than reaching it for the first time.

2018: The First Big One

Belgium’s 2018 World Cup victory remains one of Nico’s favourite memories.

Partly because it was the first major title.

Before that, Belgium had become increasingly competitive.

They were close.

Then they finally won.

That breakthrough changed the belief inside the group.

Belgium wasn’t trying to become a world champion anymore.

Belgium was a world champion.

European Champions at Home

One year later came another unforgettable moment.

Belgium won the European Championship in Antwerp.

For Nico, this one was particularly personal.

The venue was only a few hundred metres from where he lived.

Family.

Friends.

Home supporters.

Winning a major title is special.

Doing it practically in your own neighbourhood is something else entirely.

Olympic Gold in Tokyo

Then came the biggest prize.

Olympic gold.

Belgium defeated Australia after a dramatic shootout in Tokyo.

If Nico had to choose one title purely based on sporting prestige, the Olympics would win.

But emotionally, he finds it almost impossible to separate the World Cup, European Championship and Olympic Games.

Each tournament carries its own story.

Tokyo Without Fans

Tokyo was obviously unlike any normal Olympic Games.

Huge stadium.

No crowd.

Very little outside atmosphere.

During warm-up, the emptiness felt particularly strange.

For athletes who had imagined playing an Olympic final in front of packed stands, it was completely different.

Why Tokyo’s Empty Stands Created One Special Thing

There was an unexpected upside.

After Belgium won gold, the players only really had each other.

No family members pulling players in different directions.

No friends waiting elsewhere.

No huge public schedule.

The squad celebrated together.

For two days.

As one group.

Nico remembers that collective celebration as one of the best parts of the entire experience.

Imagining the Tokyo Shootout With Belgian Fans

One thing Nico still wishes he could see is what that winning shootout would have looked like with thousands of Belgian supporters behind the goal.

The images are already iconic.

But an Olympic crowd would have transformed them.

Tokyo gave Belgium the medal.

It just didn’t give them the full Olympic atmosphere.

Paris Felt Like a Home Olympics

Paris delivered that atmosphere.

Belgium is only a few hours away.

For many matches, Nico estimates the majority of the stadium felt Belgian.

Flags.

Noise.

Supporters.

Family.

It effectively became a home Olympics.

The Quarter-Final Disappointment

Belgium performed strongly during the pool stage.

Then the tournament ended in the quarter-finals.

That is the brutal reality of Olympic hockey.

You can look excellent for most of the competition.

One knockout match can end everything.

The support was enormous.

The result still didn’t come.

Why Olympic Hockey Keeps Getting Harder

Nico believes every major nation builds its programme towards peaking at the Olympics.

That means every four-year cycle becomes increasingly competitive.

Countries invest.

Players become full-time.

Coaching improves.

Sports science improves.

Analytics improve.

Everyone arrives at the Games trying to produce their absolute best hockey.

Why Smaller Hockey Nations Matter

Nico also likes seeing teams such as South Africa challenge the established nations.

Not simply because they might take points from rivals.

Because it helps the sport grow.

If international hockey only revolves around a handful of countries, the game becomes limited.

Strong performances from emerging nations can introduce hockey to entirely new audiences.

Belgium’s Success Is Remarkable for Its Size

Belgium itself is a relatively small hockey country.

Nico points out the huge difference in playing population between Belgium and the Netherlands.

And yet Belgium managed to reach the top of the world.

That required a combination of:

• strong federation structures

• financial backing

• full-time training

• long-term player development

• coaching

• commitment

It wasn’t simply a lucky generation.

Why Full-Time Programmes Matter

Nico believes international hockey needs more nations to create environments where elite players can focus properly on the sport.

Countries where athletes need to balance international hockey with full-time jobs face an obvious disadvantage.

Training availability changes.

Selection changes.

Travel becomes harder.

Recovery becomes harder.

The gap between programmes can grow.

Is Hockey Doing Enough to Grow?

This leads into a wider discussion about hockey’s future.

Nico is slightly cautious.

The sport has grown.

But he worries it can still feel complicated for people who didn’t grow up around it.

Rules can be difficult.

Tactics can be difficult.

Access can be difficult.

Hockey needs to keep thinking about how it attracts and retains new supporters.

Hockey Has a Responsibility to Keep Evolving

Nico believes everyone involved in the sport shares some responsibility.

Players.

Clubs.

Federations.

Media.

Brands.

Supporters.

If hockey wants to remain strong internationally, it can’t assume growth will simply happen by itself.

Why Deep Defensive Hockey Could Be a Problem

One modern tactical trend Nico isn’t particularly enthusiastic about is extremely deep defensive hockey.

The tactic works.

That’s why teams use it.

But it can produce lower-scoring matches and slower build-up.

For players and coaches, a 1–0 tactical battle can be fascinating.

For a new viewer?

Maybe not.

Goals Create Excitement

Nico points towards matches involving teams such as South Africa where scorelines can become much more open.

6–3.

8–4.

Chaotic hockey.

Plenty of goals.

For casual viewers, that can be exciting.

The challenge is finding a balance between elite tactical performance and an entertaining product.

Players still want to win.

But the sport also needs people to want to watch.

Why the Self-Pass Was Such a Good Rule Change

Hockey has shown it can evolve successfully.

Nico highlights the self-pass as one of the best changes.

It increased speed.

Reduced dead time.

Made transitions quicker.

And helped create the fast, flowing game players and supporters enjoy today.

Safety Has Improved Too

Another positive change came around free hits near the circle.

Older versions of hockey could involve defenders standing directly in front of enormous hits.

Nico remembers players effectively being asked to stand in a line and hope for the best.

Modern distance rules improved safety significantly.

Progress doesn’t always need to be flashy.

Sometimes the best rule change is the one that stops somebody getting hit.

The Penalty-Corner Countdown Problem

One area Nico believes still needs thought is the time allowed to prepare for penalty corners.

Players have limited time to put on masks and protective equipment.

The problem is that not every player starts from the same location.

A forward may have further to run.

A defender might already be nearby.

Penalising somebody because they physically haven’t had enough time to put on protective equipment doesn’t make much sense from a safety perspective.

The Aerial Rule

Like almost every elite player, Nico also mentions the aerial rule.

He believes newer interpretations have improved certain aspects.

Defenders can apply pressure sooner.

The receiver doesn’t necessarily get unlimited time.

But subjectivity remains.

Different umpires can see the same situation differently.

That inconsistency makes things difficult for players and supporters alike.

Hockey Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Change

Even when experiments don’t work, Nico doesn’t want the sport to stop trying.

Hockey has historically been willing to adapt.

Self-pass.

Video referral.

Playing rules.

Tournament formats.

That willingness to experiment is one of the game’s strengths.

Some ideas will fail.

Others could transform the sport.

Life Away From Hockey

Nico is also clear about the importance of switching off.

After a major international block, he wants time away.

Family.

Friends.

Golf.

Holidays.

Anything that doesn’t involve analysing the latest hockey match.

Even though his brothers have also played high-level hockey, home isn’t a permanent tactical meeting.

Why Switching Off Matters

That balance helps make elite sport sustainable.

National team.

Club hockey.

Training.

Travel.

Analysis.

Recovery.

The schedule can become relentless.

If every conversation away from training is still about hockey, the sport can quickly consume everything.

Nico enjoys being able to finish a match and then return to normal life.

Beyond the Athlete

That wider interest in people and sport also led Nico to create the Beyond the Athlete podcast with his brother.

The idea began during COVID.

Nico wanted to hear long-form conversations with elite athletes.

He struggled to find the exact kind of content he wanted.

So he decided to make it.

Starting a Podcast Because the Content Didn’t Exist

The logic was simple.

If nobody else is producing it, why not try?

The podcast grew quickly.

Guests included major Belgian athletes and eventually names such as cycling world champion Mathieu van der Poel.

What began almost from boredom became a serious project.

Why Athlete Stories Matter

It also fits Nico’s wider perspective.

An athlete is more than results.

More than medals.

More than what happens during 60 minutes on a hockey pitch.

There are decisions.

Pressure.

Family.

Education.

Careers.

Setbacks.

Different personalities.

Those stories are often more interesting than simply asking who won.

What Can Hockey Players Learn From Nico de Kerpel?

Nico’s career offers plenty of lessons.

First, development doesn’t need to feel perfect.

He openly disliked parts of the Belgian youth pathway.

He even stepped away.

But those difficult experiences still contributed to the player he became.

Second, success takes time.

Belgium’s golden generation wasn’t created overnight.

Some players spent more than a decade building the standards that eventually produced World Cup, European and Olympic gold.

Third, equipment matters — but it isn’t everything.

Nico uses the Gryphon Tour Pro 25 but doesn’t obsess over every specification.

The stick supports the player.

It doesn’t replace the work required to become one.

Fourth, switch off when you can.

Elite hockey already demands enormous physical and mental energy.

Life outside the pitch matters too.

And finally, winning once is hard — staying at the top is even harder.

Belgium became the team everyone wanted to beat.

Now a new generation has to create its own story.

The blueprint exists.

But Nico knows better than most that medals aren’t inherited.

They’re built session by session, year after year.

Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Nico de Kerpel to hear more about Belgium’s golden generation, Olympic gold, Gryphon equipment, the Belgian hockey system, Beyond the Athlete and the future of the sport.