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2006
Caribbean Cruiser “DutchyMar” Sets Sail For China
by Jeremy Ruane
Lying back in the Auckland sunshine, Marlies Oostdam is making the most of the first chance she's had in weeks to relax.
The New Zealand international is sporting a smile of quiet satisfaction, having captained the Auckland women's squad to the National Women's League title without dropping a point, the first team since arguably the greatest “A Team” of them all, the 1999 squad, won that year's National Tournament in similar fashion.
“Captaining them is fantastic”, declares the fun-loving twenty-nine-year-old with her trademark beaming grin. “I was quite surprised when (coach) Jill Gilmore asked me. It's pushed me to do that little bit more on and off the pitch - it's been a good experience.
“At the same time, it makes you realise you're getting older! Still, you're only as young as you feel, so that makes me about 21 or 22!!”
Which is just as well, given the healthy crop of young women who are set to join the eleven-times-capped international in firing New Zealand to prominence on the world stage over the course of the next few years.
The wise head and the cultured left foot of the Haarlem-born midfielder should be central factors in the national women's squad's campaigns to qualify for China 2007 and Beijing 2008, so Marlies is making the most of this opportunity to unwind ahead of what is shaping up to be the busiest year ever in New Zealand women's soccer's history.
“My prime objectives for the next couple of years involve making sure I get into the squad and the starting line-ups, and being part of the qualifying campaigns.
“The whole experience of playing for your country - trying to get to the top level, performing well - not just making up numbers … it's just so special”, exclaims the scorer of the game's lone goal on the only occasion New Zealand has beaten Australia at Secondary Schoolgirls level, at Mittawong in December 1994.
Within fifteen months of that effort, “DutchyMar”, as The Netherlands native is nicknamed, was donning another white shirt with a silver fern on it, after receiving a call-up which left her “very excited, over the moon, yet quite nervous!
“Just to have been chosen to play for New Zealand was very special to me, and it was a great feeling coming on as a substitute against Australia at Ken
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 Marlies Oostdam's Favourites
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Maunder Park in March, 1996”, declares the former U-20 and U-17 international, who has been in and out of the national team over the course of the last decade due to taking up an opportunity most folk would relish!
“Half-way through the 1999 season, I went to Melbourne for a couple of years, and while there, played for the Victoria Vision team in the Australian Women's National League - I was the only Kiwi playing in the league. It was a bit embarrassing for the Aussies when I was named Victoria's Players' Player of the Year one year, too!!
“From there, I returned to my native Holland, and played for Ter Leede in the Dutch Women's League, which we won in my first season there. It was through working for a travel firm in my other homeland that I secured the dream job of working on a Caribbean cruise ship based in Puerto Rico.
“It was a hard but enjoyable lifestyle, working as a purser then partying at night! Whenever I had the chance for some spare time off the ship, you'd find me sipping a cocktail or two while soaking up the sun on some remote Caribbean beach … just thinking about that time brings back some great memories for me”, she smiles.
So what's she doing back here then? “While I enjoyed it, the demands of work and travel meant it was also a pretty busy and stressful time. I much preferred the lifestyle back here, plus it's where my family and friends are.
“Hence I'm back working in the family business - Ruby Nurseries. My sister, Car, and I import foliage and greenery from the USA which we on-sell to various nurseries, while my brother, Dirk, runs the orchid-growing side of a thriving operation”.
Thriving neatly sums up this talented midfielder's football career, one which has embraced clubs such as Drury United, Papakura, West Franklin United, Ellerslie, Eden, Three Kings United - “that team was one of the best yet!” - and, since her return home in December 2004, Eastern Suburbs.
Having captained Auckland throughout their most successful National Women's League campaign yet, Marlies Oostdam is already turning her attention towards her next challenge - representing New Zealand at both the Women's World Cup Finals and the Olympic Games in the next two years.
“I'm really looking forward to it”, she declares with a broad grin. “Very much so!”
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