Meet Myrthe Schoot, volleyball player of the Dutch National Team

So you've met two girls of the Dutch Volleyball and we're not done yet! Today we want to introduce you to Myrthe! We sat down with her for a one-on-one and asked her everything...Well not everything ;)

1. Why do you like writing for #FITGIRLCODE

As athletes we always have our minds set on living healthy, because in sport the smallest things can make the difference. That’s why I got more and more interested in healthy eating and supplements. Over the years, you find out what works best for your body. We as a team go through life as real Fit Girls, and now being called a #FITGIRLCODE Ambassador is a real compliment.

2. How did your volleyball adventure start?

My volleyball adventure started when I was 12. My sister (7 years older) was a real role model to me. I wanted everything she had or did. I secretly had a crush on the boyfriend she had at the time and he was really into volleyball. So I figured there was only one thing I could do to impress him: play volleyball. Although it never impressed him, it was the beginning of my volleyball adventure.

 3. When did you decide you wanted to do top class sport?

There was not a precise moment I decided to start practicing top class sport; I kinda rolled into it. When I started volleyball I picked it up pretty fast and soon I got invited to participate in selections (a real honour). From there I moved on to the Dutch Junior Youth team, where I learned a lot about top class sport. I liked it, so I kept going forward. For me, it was not really a conscious choice to start top class sport, but during this period of my career, I did see a lot of great talents my age quit volleyball.

4. How do you combine your sport career with a ‘normal’ social life?

I find it pretty hard to combine my social life with my sport career. I am so busy and making plans is difficult because we often get our training program on short notice. I often miss out on birthdays or holidays because I spend a lot of time abroad or at training intern at Papendal. Fortunately I’ll have loads of time after my sport career to catch up on this, and in the meantime I can Skype, FaceTime, Whatsapp etc. Thank God for technology ;)

5. What does your team mean to you?

My teammates are not just my teammates, they are also my friends. I spend more time with the girls more than with my own family and we e're also roomies so I also see them more than my own boyfriend. We know each other’s strengths, but also each other's weaknesses. We have respect for each other and I always feel like I can be myself. That means a lot to me.

 6. What would you like to achieve in your sport career?

I would really like to go to the Olympics. When I was 15 years old I went there, together with the Dutch Junior Youth to the youth Olympic festival (EYOF), and it was amazing! I really want to experience this together with my current team as well.

7. What’s your most impressive sport moment until now?

I have two. De first one was in 2009, when we won 2nd place at the European Championship. I just joined the national team, but I didn’t play that tournament yet. Although the atmosphere in Poland during the Championship was unforgettable: 15.000 volleyball fans cheering. That was awesome!

The second was the Cup Finale in Germany in 2012. We played for 15.000 people in the Gerrie Weber Stadium. When I looked at the crowd, it really gave me goose bumps.

8. And what sport moment would you like to forget?

The moment I got my knee injury and was told that I would have to undergo surgery. That was really such a shock! I had my inner meniscus torn, and at that time I really thought that I would never be able to play volleyball again.

9. Who is your sport hero?

I don’t really have a hero, although I find Usain Bolt a beautiful athlete, just like Roger Federer. In my opinion these two athletes are really blessed by ‘mother nature’. Roger just has great ball control and Usain has the perfect athletic body. I can really look at them in awe.

10. What is your guilty pleasure?

I pay real close attention to my health, but when open a pack of cookies I need to finish them all. The only solution is simply not to bring cookies into my home. ;)

Are there any things you would like to ask Myrthe? Leave your questions in the comments below!