Belgian talent Charlotte Englebert will play HC ‘s-Hertogenbosch next season, moving from Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles, signing on a four-year contract.

Den Bosch top hockey member Vera Vorstenbosch sees Englebert as a key addition to their line-up for the coming years: “Lotte was voted the biggest talent of the tournament at the last World Cup. We are therefore very happy that she is coming to play hockey with us. She is fast, goal-oriented and scores easily.”

For Englebert, she says she always wanted to play hockey in the Netherlands: “It is a unique opportunity for me to play for one of the best teams in the Netherlands. The culture of a club is important to me. I think that part of Den Bosch will suit me well.

“I believe that I can learn a lot at Den Bosch from their winning mentality when playing important matches. I am looking forward to this new challenge: playing in a different environment, training hard and having a lot of fun.”

The club also recently extended the contracts of internationals Pien Sanders, Frederique Matla and Sanne Koolen along with Emma Reijnen, Danique van der Veerdonk and Imme van der Hoek.

Austin Smith will be the new assistant coach to Marieke Dijkstra following a 14-year stint as a player with the club.

“I was quite surprised when Marieke approached me,” he said of the new role. “I wasn’t sure yet if I was going to stop. When I had made the decision [to retire from playing], I called her immediately. The opportunity to work with this top team, at my own club and together with Marieke is fantastic. It suits me as a person: helping people to get the best out of themselves.”