Guthenberg. A baby’s initial belly is glimpsed under the soccer jersey.
Loes Geurts – with medical, social and financial support from BK Häcken – receives training during pregnancy.
– Earlier in my career, I did not think that this would be possible, says the goalkeeper of the national team.
When the training begins, everything looks as usual. BK Hackens The goalkeeper trio – Jennifer Falk, Jacqueline Burns and Los Gorts – was drilled by Matthias Gustafsson.
Fast feet and balls at chest height at close range, all three doing a warm-up streak.
As the heat rises indoors, the range of motion becomes greater for the Falk and Burns. On the other hand, Loes Geurts does not throw himself.
And when the practice of the game begins, the goalkeeper of the Dutch team BK Häcken steps down.
The heart wants to keep going, but the mind leads Loes Geurts to the gym.
There the pregnant football player continues his training session.
Bend the leg with light weights on the bar, stability of the torso on the ball and strength of the upper body in the program of the day.
You have a little less control and I feel like I have something in my stomach that I’ve never felt before. She says I feel a lot different in my body even though it’s not much visible yet.
She can see her teammates through the large glass windows facing the stadium. Belonging to a context during pregnancy is valuable for a 36-year-old girl.
This is my full time job so it is very important. I prefer being here, with the team, and although I can’t be on the field all the time, I like the social aspect, she says.
When we meet, Loes Geurts was midway through pregnancy.
Did he start kicking?
– I felt something, a little unclear, but still.
She laughs a lot. The pregnancy has been smooth so far. Mild nausea at first, but no loose joints or other problems.
“There is no need to quit having children”
The medical team surrounding the women’s team in Häcken – with Dr. Sadish Balasingham and physiotherapist Karin Schroeder – behind them, Loes Geurts feels a great sense of safety.
– I agree with how I feel about them, how I feel and what exercises I can do. I should feel safe and not be ashamed if one day I don’t feel better. Lewis says it’s okay to have no training at all one day.
– As long as you do not have joint problems, there is not much you are not allowed to do. Loes doesn’t throw a hard ball with a barbell, but she can perform exercises that make her feel good. The most important thing is how players feel, and that they feel like they have a life in their stomach that rules it, notes Karen Schroeder who sees advantages with the knowledge bank BK Häcken set up with Elin Rubensson’s previous pregnancy and back afterwards. And now put Loes Geurt.
– We can share what we did. The more elite female soccer players give birth to babies, the higher our skill. It is important for the players around you to see that it is possible and you do not have to opt out of having children. Now we have some routines for this, says Schroeder.
Loes Geurts says she takes questions from other players and the whole process is followed up at the club’s training facility.
– Before, I thought I would never be able to invest more and get pregnant at the same time. Now all the conditions are here and I am very grateful for that.
This is a big step.
Automatic contract extension
BK Häcken has a new pregnancy policy. Through this, the club financially compensates its player by subsidizing maternity and paternity benefit as much as the Swedish Social Insurance Agency allows. It also stipulates that the club, together with the player, must develop an individual plan for the intensification and multiplication of training during pregnancy. After birth, the policy also regulates the contract extension automatically with a “transition period”, about six months, in cases where a pregnant player has less than a year left on the contract when the child is born.
Loes Geurts appreciates the financial support.
– It’s very important. This is my job and if you can’t get enough compensation you have to find another job to be able to pay your bills and then it won’t be worth it. This has been the case before and certainly in some clubs, says Loes Geurts.
A pregnancy was planned, but was initially kept a secret.
When pre-season started, Loes Geurts got fully involved and kept the pregnancy a secret.
It was a bit difficult to have the same motivation in pre-season, but I wanted to be part of the national team rally in March, and that was my biggest motivation. I wanted to get back in shape before that, which is why I was able to drive really hard even though I was very tired.
At the end of BK Häcken’s training camp in Spain, Loes Geurts told team management about the child’s happiness.
But his colleagues had to wait a while for the message.
– It was a little hard not to tell. Nobody in the national team knows either, and then I was in the 10th week, because I wanted to tell until he had an ultrasound. My partner (Nicolas) and I decided on it.
– I reached my goal, I joined the national team for the last time. I had a lot of fun being there again, despite sitting in the stands, says Loes Geurts who also has a contract with BK Häcken through next season.
– I want to go back to plan, I am well aware that I do not know how things will turn out, what will be the birth. But that’s the point.