International player
Hockeyklubben Odin are welcoming international players from all countries, genders, playing levels and ages. Through the years we have had many international players - including German, Dutch, Australian and American players among others. All the coaches and captains speak English as well as most of the players. In Denmark the outdoor season takes place from April to October and the indoor season takes place from october to march.
You are more than welcome to try out our hockey practice before signing up as a member. If you haven't brought your stick, you can borrow one at the club. Under the tab "Hold" (Teams), you will find the contact information for the coaches and captains as well as training times.
Keep reading if you want to read some stories from previous international players elaborating about their experience during their time in Hockeyklubben Odin.
Sjors de Haas (The Netherlands)
Name: Sjors de Haas
Home Country: The Netherlands
Study Programme: MSc in Economics & Business Administration – Management of People
Age: 23 (2013)
Played on men's 1. team: 2013
"For me to join a Danish hockeyteam was absolutely a good thing to do. It's a great way to meet some Danes and get more familiar with their lifestyle. Hockeyclub Odin is very open to international students, I really appreciated that all trainings and meetings where held in English as soon as one of the international guys was there. Next to that I really liked the combination of playing hockey and also doing social activities off the pitch with the team. The team is young and ambitious and they clearly want to get better each and every year. There is a high amount of motivation by the players and they have a lot of potential for the future. Then on the other side I truely enjoyed the social activities. We often met after trainings or in the weekends for some beers. We made an amazing trip to Kopenhagen and had some amazing BBQ's in the summer. After being around those guys for almost a year it was hard to say goodbye but I'm happy that year brought me some new friends. If you like hockey and are looking for some great guys to play with I can only say to take a look at Hockeyclub Odin and you will not regret it."
Thies Gråning (Germany)
Name: Thies Gråning
Home Country: Germany
Age: 25 (2014)
Played on men's 1. team from 2012-2014
"Being part oft he Hockey club in Odense was a great experience and important part in during my life in Odense. I played in different international teams before (in the UK and Spain) and have to say that here in Odense I received the warmest welcome. Everyone in the team was very open and welcoming from the first day onwards. I enjoyed being quickly integrated in the team and also the frequent contact to local danish was very interesting. As a student at SDU you automatically have much more contact with other internationals and I can only recommend everyone to also engage in close contact with locals. Through my team-mates I got another prespective on the city and also learned some cool insights about the danish (youth) culture that I probably would have missed if not being part of the Hockey club. In addition to enjoying regular training sessions and matches on a high level I also really loved the trips we did as a team. We went a couple of times to stay over night when playing in Copenhagen for example and also played tournaments in Germany that came along with great parties and a lot of fun with the team. So, if you are looking for a great team with warm, welcoming and ambitious people you should pass by the training and join the Hockeyclub. It will definitely make your time in Odense an even greater experience!"
Petra Kühr (the Netherlands)
I joined the women's team in 2015 when I went to Odense to write my master thesis at the University. A little search on the internet helped me to discover Odin and I am very happy that I made the step to contact them.
Compared to the Netherlands, where I had played hockey all my life, hockey is not very big in Denmark. There were 5 women's teams in the competition and we played on 3/4 field. Being able to join this small Danish hockey community, made the experience even more special.
The team is serious when being on the pitch. They are committed during the training and the matches. This resulted in two silver medals (indoor and outdoor) in the season of 2015.
Besides playing hockey we also went partying and did other social activities together. Joining Odin is a perfect way to meet locals and to get to know the Danish culture. They are really open to new, international teammates. I felt very welcome. Also because everyone talked English as soon as I arrived.
My amazing time at Odin ended with a hockey tournament in Hamburg where we went together with the men's team.
The women's and men's team both have amazing people and I would really recommend joining them!
Viola Ketelsen (Germany)
Joining the women’s team of Hockeyklubben Odin was definitely one of the best decisions I made when coming to Odense for my studies! Being in a new country and environment, the hockey team really enriched my overall experience of living in Denmark. They are very welcoming and inclusive, take you by the hand and make you really feel like becoming part of the team and Danish culture. The training and games were always fun, and we did many social activities apart from it. I can highly recommend becoming part of the club, no matter which level of hockey you are playing – it will be a great experience for every case, as well as creating long-lasting memories and friendships!