In the ‘Disappeared Hockey Players’ series, talents from the past answer thequestion of why they stopped abruptly. In this episode Sam Saxton (29), whobecame world champion with the Dutch Juniors, but two years later followed herheart and chose an adventure as a singer.
Much in life revolves around timing. Three days after the interview in coffeebar Vascobelo in Amsterdam, the musical career of the former player ofBloemendaal and Hurley reaches a milestone. After years of giving shape to hersinging ambitions mainly by providing performances, she now releases her veryfirst single: Misty Days. It can be listened to via this link.
At the end of the interview about her retirement from hockey seven years ago,Saxton says: ‘Now that I think about it, my single has a lot in common with myhockey career. Keep following your own path, even if you encounter bumps alongthe way. I loved hockey, but the world of music attracted me more and more.’
Sam Saxton in 2012 as a player of the Dutch Juniors. Photo: Koen Suyko
She thanked for Dutch Girls U16
At the age of seventeen, Saxton made the switch from her childhood sweetheartand then transitional division Bloemendaal to Hurley in the big league. Shethen won the world title in 2013 in Mönchengladbach with the Dutch Juniors.She stopped playing hockey two years later.
In retrospect, the first signs may have already presented themselves when shethanked Dutch Girls U16. My week was way too full. School, guitar lessons,training six times a week, I couldn’t do that. One time I was crying in thecar on the way to training. I also felt completely out of place in the team.There was a certain atmosphere that I didn’t like. I played hockey mainlybecause I liked it, not because I wanted to get Orange. Many of those girlshad known each other for years. There was a certain competition amongthemselves, which I did not like at all’, says the former striker about howshe experienced that period.
What I really noticed then is that when you play at the top level you have> to be happy to be selected for those kinds of selection teams Sam Saxton
In addition to some understanding reactions, the fifteen-year-old talent alsoreceived some negative reactions to her decision to stop at Dutch Girls U16.’Some people reacted quite strongly to that. Especially those who put meforward and felt that I owed the selection to them. Even though I didn’t askfor that at all. They thought I was ungrateful. What I really noticed then isthat when you play at the top level, you have to be happy to be selected forthose kinds of selection teams. That is the path you must walk. But thatdidn’t apply to me.’
A few years later, it was Rick Mathijssen – her coach at Hurley and assistantto Raoul Ehren at the Dutch Juniors at that time – who asked her if she wasopen to participating in the selection training sessions at the Young Orange.’My first reaction was that I didn’t want to. My thoughts immediately wentback to the oppressive atmosphere that hung at Dutch U16. But Rick insistedthat there was a completely different vibe at Jong Oranje. He suggested I justgive it a try. I have done that. And let’s be honest: Rick was right. I reallyliked playing in the Dutch Juniors. In the end I am very happy that I didthat, because I had two great years there,” says Saxton, who, in addition tothe 2013 World Cup, also won the 2012 European Championship.
The artwork of Sam Saxton’s first single: Misty Days. Photo: Caroline Sikkenk
Acting instead of training
Parallel to her hockey career, Saxton set her first footsteps in the musicworld. Around the age of twelve she learned to play the guitar from herparents. Later in life she started singing. Eventually her first performancesfollowed.
‘I took my guitar with me to the Under-21 World Championship. Together with aroommate I wrote a song for the whole team. I think it was always very clearto my teammates that besides playing hockey I also really enjoyed singing.’
Her singing ambitions became increasingly serious when Saxton withdrew fromevening training at Hurley because she had been invited to perform somewhere.’It was a performance I really wanted to do, in a village, on a beautifulstage, with a band. Of course, you don’t just cancel a training. Luckily Rickwas okay with it. But if he hadn’t agreed, I would still have gone to thatgig. I wanted it so badly. In retrospect, you might say that that was thefirst split between me and top hockey.’
Sam Saxton in Hurley’s shirt. Photo: Koen Suyko
End of hockey career
After the world championship, Saxton was still of the age to play for theDutch Juniors, but she no longer stood for election. She and her boyfriendmade a musical journey through Canada. Back in the Netherlands she dared tofollow her heart more and more. Two years after the world title, she hung upon her stick.
‘Besides my increasing interest in music, my persistent back problems alsoplayed a role in stopping hockey. Once in a while I went through my back.Playing for the Dutch Juniors was already quite a challenge with my backproblems. If I wanted to make the step to the Dutch national team, thosecomplaints would only increase, I expected. I didn’t think it was worth it.Moreover, the lure of the music was too great for that. Instead of four timesa week, I started training twice a week during my last months at Hurley. Thatwas ideal for me. But you are on a team. You can’t possibly demand that youtrain less often, but play just as often. That’s why I decided it was time tostop.’
Team photo Dutch Juniors prior to the 2013 World Under 21 Championship. For:Saskia van Duivenboden, Xan de Waard, Marloes Keetels, Renske Siersema, SamSaxton, Anne Veenendaal. Middle: Rick Mathijssen, Janneke Schopman, RaoulEhren, Maria Verschoor, Lauren Stam, Floor Ouwerling, Juliette van Hattum,Elsie Nix, physio Maaike Brugmans, Frank Wijbenga, Fleur vd Kieft. Behind:Lisa Scheerlinck, Laura Nunnink, Laurien Leurink, Lisanne de Lange, Lieke vanWijk, Sarah Jaspers, Mila Muyselaer. Photo: Koen Suyko
Her first single
With her empty agenda on weekday evenings and weekends, space became availablefor performances. Saxton did not release his own music at that time. Inaddition to her singing career, Saxton also focused on her Psychology studies.
The former hockey star cannot live off music today. However, at the beginningof this year she started working one day a week less to focus more on singing.That resulted in the release of her first single, seven years after shestopped playing hockey.
‘It took quite a while before I released my first single. But that doesn’tmean I’ve been sitting still all these years. I occasionally did some gigs andmade my own music with my boyfriend, which we didn’t release at the time. Inthat time, many ideas arose that eventually grew into a full-fledged albumthat will be released in 2023. I haven’t really missed hockey in all thattime. I do look back on my time as a hockey player with great pleasure. Ithink it’s very cool what I experienced with Bloemendaal, Hurley and JongOranje. I am incredibly proud of that. But the fact that I eventually stoppedwas a good choice.’