Ten Holte's new challenge with Odense

24-year-old Ten Holte is back in the EHF Champions League Women with top Danish side Odense. It is only Yara's second international club and she is ready to face the best players in Europe again.

“Denmark was always really high on my list, I think it is one of the best leagues in Europe for women's handball and I wanted to play in the Champions League again. After five great years in Dortmund, I needed new challenges. I am very happy that Odense called me and gave me this opportunity,” says Ten Holte on her decision to join the club.

And she is not the lone Dutchwoman in Odense; she has strengthened the already-impressive Dutch contingent by joining Bo van Wetering, Larissa Nüsser, Dion Housheer and Nikita van der Vliet in the squad.

“I am really enjoying my time in Denmark so far. All the girls and coaches are nice to me. I'm the only one not speaking Danish but I'm not feeling left out because everybody is helping me. So that's really nice and made me feel more comfortable already in the first week. And having my Dutch girls is only a plus,” says Yara.

Ten Holte has come a long way since her debut in the EHF Champions League qualification tournament and Cup Winners' Cup Last 16 phase with Dalfsen when she was only 14. The 2023/24 season marks her ninth year in European competition, but her memories of her debut are still vivid.

“I remember it really well because it was really special. I was only 14 and I didn't expect to play at all. I still made some minutes on the court and I'm really happy that I could play already on such a high level at a young age. Reflecting now, I would say to young Yara to enjoy every minute she gets and don't expect too much from yourself in the beginning, especially as a goalkeeper, because you need experience on the court to become better,” she reflects.

BV Borussia 09 Dortmund were Ten Holte's first international experience and after joining in the 2018/19 season, she made incredible progress under the supervision of Clara Woltering, who only has praise for Yara. During five years in Germany, ten Holte established herself as one of the crucial players at the club, having a great part in the club's success.

“I was 18 when I came and I was really happy that Dortmund said take your time, you're young, it's a new environment and you need time to develop yourself and to feel good in your new place. Having great conditions in the club and playing in the Champions League helped a lot for my progress. Playing the EHF Finals in Graz in my last season was a beautiful thing, to sum up everything. We played in front of 11,112 fans, made a comeback and won the bronze medal,” Yara concludes.

Odense will try to leave their mark in the EHF Champions League Women and repeat last season's success when they reached the quarter-finals. They will have a tough job in group A where they will meet Györi Audi ETO KC, IK Sävehof, SG BBM Bietigheim, Brest Bretagne Handball, CSM Bucuresti, Buducnost BEMAX and DVSC Schaeffler. With a changed squad and former Vipers' head coach Ole Gustav Gjestad at the helm, Odense's ambitions for the 2023/24 are high.

“Ambitions of the club are high and I strive towards the same ambitions. I think I can say that our target is to win back the title in Denmark and, in the Champions League, we want to reach the same stage as the club did last season. I think we have really good chances. We have a team with a lot of different capabilities that we need to use to be strong but it is also a young team and we really need to have trust in each other. I'm really enjoying the way we play. It's a fast game and I'm also one goalkeeper who likes to play fast, and I think that will also be our strength in the upcoming season and to use it on the court.”

“He (Gjestad) achieved a lot in Vipers and also in Larvik. We know that he knows what he's doing and that we need to trust the progress. We have in every position two or three good players with a lot of talent and also experience. All that can be a perfect mix for us,” concludes the EHF European League Women 2022/23 best goalkeeper ahead of the start of the Europe's top flight.

Photos © Lau Nielsen