UP Rudras’ Unique Father-Son combo as Coach & Player
It’s a rare thing to see a father-son duo being part of a men’s hockey team, especially in a high-competitive players’ auction such as the Hockey India League, where ‘strategic and well-thought-out bidding’ play a pivotal role in dictating which player heads to which franchise. Franchises invariably exude a preference for certain players, but have little control over these players as the bidding and counter-bidding can pass through multiple rounds.
Yadu Sports-backed UP Rudras have been able to ‘orchestrate a ‘unique father-son coach and player combination’ in Paul Van Ass and Seve Van Ass. Paul Van Ass, who is the chief coach of the UP Rudras had only a few months back stepped down as the Netherlands’ women’s team coach after guiding them to glory at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 64-year-old Dutch coach, who had a brief stint as the Indian men’s team coach in 2015 – a stint that lasted barely five months, had carved out a reputation as a shrewd coach – he was also at the helm of the Dutch men’s team, guiding them to a silver medal finish at the 2012 London Olympics as well as a runners-up finish at the 2014 World Cup at The Hague. He has attained a fair amount at the club hockey level success at HGC.
Paul’s 32-year-old son Seve Van Ass would be looking to propel UP Rudras to new heights in the revived HIL. Seve, who hung his international hockey stick after the 2024 Paris Olympics, have been part of several success stories with the Netherlands men’s team.
He had featured in three Olympics (2016, 2021 and 2024) and the 2024 Olympics was a big high as the Dutch won the gold medal after missing outside the podium at the two previous Olympics. A three-time World-Cupper, Seve played his part in the Dutch finishing runners-up at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups besides cornering a bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup. He had captained the Netherlands men’s team to a bronze medal finish at the 2019 Euro Hockey Championship.
Seve, who has made 236 international appearances, would strive to forge a lethal combination alongside Indian Hardik Singh in midfield, as well as his fellow Dutch team-mate Floris Wortelboer, Lars Balk besides extending adequate support to their redoubtable forwardline that comprises the likes of Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Alvaro Iglesias, Tanguy Cosyns, Akashdeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh as well as youngsters Gurjot Singh and Sudeep Chirmako.
“It is not the first time I’m coach of a team and my son is in the team as a player. We have worked together at the club level. Seve was also a national player when I was the coach of the Netherlands men’s team – he was part of the Dutch team that had finished runners-up at the 2014 World Cup at The Hague,” says Paul Van Ass in a chat with Hockey Passion.
Players’ auction is not always about franchises getting the players they desire. “Look, when Seve’s name came up, the other franchises did not react maybe because they thought he belongs to Paul Van Ass. So, that’s not good for Seve, but good for us as we had the budget to go for him,” he says.
Of course, Seve’s gargantuan international experience would come in handy for the UP Rudras. “He is a three-time Olympian as well as a three-time world-cupper. And he is also a gold-winning Olympian. We work together well and it would be fun in the HIL,” quips the gold-winning Netherlands women’s team coach.
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