Experienced marathon skater De Vries has taken on a new leadership role with team A6 after thirteen seasons leading another top-division squad, while former skater Aveline Hijlkema has joined the staff following her retirement due to long COVID complications.
According to Schaatsen.nl, De Vries served as the head of a prominent team in the Topdivisie for thirteen consecutive years but ended his tenure in February 2026. Shortly after the annual trip to the Weissensee natural ice races, he was recruited by Henk Jan Meijer, team leader of A6. De Vries expressed enthusiasm about his new position, highlighting the challenge of working with young talents from FrySk and his desire to continue winning under different team dynamics. He acknowledged that although his previous teams were regularly competitive, adapting to A6’s environment offers a fresh start without any lingering resentment toward his former team Essent.
Aveline Hijlkema, who has been associated with the team since 2017 and initially trained under Hoekstra, also shared her perspective on transitioning into a staff role. Hijlkema’s skating career was affected by long COVID symptoms starting in October 2023, which eventually led to her retirement after two winter seasons spent attempting to recover. Despite not originally planning to stay in top-level sport professionally, she now finds satisfaction in coaching and utilizing her experience to support athletes. Additionally, Hijlkema works as a researcher at the Bas van de Goor Foundation, focusing on the health benefits of physical activity, which aligns with her academic background.
