Rolf van de Kerkhof Position: Head Coach Experience: Second Year E-mail: vandeke4@ath.msu.edu

The 2007 season marks Rolf van de Kerkhof's ninth year at Michigan State University as part of the fi eld hockey program, and he embarks on his second year as the head coach. He was named to the position in February 2006, after spending seven seasons as an assistant. During his time at Michigan State, he has helped the Spartans put together the most successful era of the program's history.

In his first season as head coach, Van de Kerkhof led his team to an 8-12 record (1-5 Big Ten). His first victory as head coach came on Sept. 3, 2006, as the Spartans defeated Temple, 2-1, in a dramatic overtime victory. Van de Kerkhof notched his first victory in East Lansing on Sept. 14, a 4-0 shutout against the visiting Yale Bulldogs.

During Van de Kerkhof's tenure as an MSU assistant, he helped oversee the finest era of Spartan field hockey. In his seven years, the team had an overall record of 106-46 (.697), made two trips to the Final Four and another two into the Elite Eight. MSU's fi nest season came in 2002, with an overall record of 23-3 and a trip to the Final Four for the fi rst time in program history.

A native of Tilburg, The Netherlands, Van de Kerkhof brings more than 20 years of playing and coaching experience to MSU's program. In addition to aiding with the overall operation of the fi eld hockey program as an assistant, Van de Kerkhof specialized in recruiting, camps and clinics. As an assistant, he focused his coaching efforts on goalkeeping and the defensive unit, as well as technical and tactical areas with individual players.

While living in The Netherlands, Van de Kerkhof coached the under-12, under-14, under-16 and under- 18 boys and girls teams.

Van de Kerkhof earned a degree in sports, economics and communication at the Fonty's Hogeschool in Tilburg. He also graduated with two offi cial coaching degrees offered by the Royal Netherlands National Field Hockey Association in 1997 and 1998.

During the 1998 Field Hockey World Cup in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Van de Kerkhof was in charge of World Cup projects for Whise International Coaching Experts and Brabo International Hockey Equipment. Van de Kerkhof spent 16 years playing fi eld hockey, obtaining experience as a goalkeeper, defender and midfi elder. In August of 1999, he gave up his playing career to become a full-time coach at the intercollegiate level.

Since 2000, Van de Kerkhof has been involved in the Youth Olympic Development and Youth Elite Coaching programs, sponsored by the United States Field Hockey Association. Most recently, he served as the head coach of the 2007 US Under-16 national team which fi nished fi rst in the runners-up pool in the HODD tournament in the Netherlands. In 2001, he served as an assistant coach with the under-16 U.S. National Team, coaching the squad to a bronze medal in the same tournament. In addition, Van de Kerkhof has been coordinating the Under-19 U.S. Futures Elite Hockey Tours to The Netherlands and served as head coach of the squads in the spring of 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Van de Kerkhof also assists in developmental programs for coaches across the nation and enjoys volunteering for charity organizations, including the Greg Gephart Fund in Houston, Texas and the Worthington Weed Whackers Program.

Van de Kerkhof and his wife, Mary, were married in the summer of 2007. The couple resides in Lansing.