Rachel Buehler van Hollebeke The Buehldozer with a Healer’s Heart

 




Rachel Buehler van Hollebeke  The Buehldozer with a Healer’s Heart


She wasn't the loudest.
She wasn't the flashiest.
But she was the one you wanted in the trenches.

Rachel Buehler — later Dr. Rachel van Hollebeke — was a defender who tackled like a storm and stood like a wall.
They called her "The Buehldozer." Because when you entered her zone, you left the ball behind.

She played with grit, but never with anger.
With courage, but never recklessness.
Brains and bravery. A rare combination.

She earned Olympic gold. Played in two World Cups.
And when the headlines skipped her name, her teammates never did.
Because they knew:

"She’s the reason we’re still standing."

 The Goal  And the Face That Said It All

She didn’t score often. But when she did?
You felt it.

Clenched fists. Eyes lit with fire.
A roar from deep within.
She didn’t just celebrate — she declared something.

"This is what it means. This is what it costs."

She carried that moment like she carried the back line:
For the team.
For everyone watching.

 The Red That Broke Her  And Built the Legend

World Cup 2011. Quarterfinal vs Brazil. A challenge. Clean. Hard. Whistle. Penalty. Red card.

It wasn’t fair.
It wasn’t right.
Rachel walked off with tears in her eyes.

No yelling. No theatrics. Just heartbreak and dignity.

Then, from the stands:

"USA! USA! USA!"

Louder. Louder.
A chant of protection.
Of love.

"They knew what they saw. They knew who she was."

The team rallied.
Hope Solo saved the penalty.
Wambach rose. Krieger finished it.
And they did it for her.

“We couldn’t let that be her last image.”

And the Chorus that Missed the Mark

But not everything that day was just.

Marta, the queen of the game, was booed.
Not because she dove — but because she was nearby.
Another player went down.
The crowd picked a target.

And unfairly, it became Marta.

"History remembers the moment. We should remember the truth too."

 From Tackle to Treatment

After football, Rachel became a doctor. Yes — Dr. Rachel van Hollebeke. Family medicine. Compassion. Calm under pressure.

She used to stop goals.
Now she protects lives.

From bruises to healing bones.
From the backline to the clinic.
Same heart. Same mission.

“Not all heroes wear jerseys. Some wear scrubs.”


 With admiration ,

Kevin – On Women’s Football Tour



Reacties

Een reactie posten

Populaire posts van deze blog

Always There Jonna Andersson

Afbeelding
She’s not the one whose name is on festival shirts. Not the one who goes viral after a backheel or a crunching tackle. No noise. No drama. But if you look closely, you’ll see it: Jonna is always there. Champion with Linköping, before Sweden fully realised they had someone who always delivered. Then came Chelsea, where the accent was different and the scepticism louder than the wind. “Another foreigner… is she really needed?” It was Everton. It was tough. But Hedvig saved a penalty. And Jonna— Jonna scored with minutes to spare. The stadium erupted. No more words needed. She won everything there was to win. FA Cup. FAWSL titles. No headlines, just medals. No soundbites, just applause from her team. And then— back to Sweden. Not to slow down. But to build something. Hammarby, sleeping giant in green, woke up again. First title since the ’90s. The double. A team full of belief. A crowd full of hope. And there was Jonna. Always there. I was there that day...
Meer lezen

2 weken na de bekerfinale vrouwen alsnog consternatie

Afbeelding
 Twee weken later. Twee maten, één maatpak? De bekerfinale ligt intussen twee weken achter ons. Maar de echo blijft. Stefania Vatafu kreeg toen een rode kaart die achteraf geen schorsing opleverde. Een stille erkenning: de scheidsrechter zat fout. Toch werd net na diezelfde finale een verslag opgesteld door diezelfde scheidsrechter. En op basis daarvan kreeg Luna Vanzeir deze week wél een effectieve schorsing. Voor velen voelt dat krom. Inconsistent. Zelfs haar collega op het veld zei over de bewuste fase: "Dit is geen rood." Wat moet een speelster dan nog geloven? Wie leiding wil geven, moet ook vertrouwen opbouwen. En ja, respect voor de scheidsrechter blijft fundamenteel. Maar dat respect moet van twee kanten komen. Club YLA profiteert hier sportief van, maar valt niets te verwijten. De verantwoordelijkheid ligt elders — bij wie regels toepast, en bij wie ze opstelt. Het vrouwenvoetbal verdient duidelijke regels, empathie, en leiderschap met zelfinzicht. Niet een houding d...
Meer lezen

Norrköping and Hammarby Set Up Svenska Cupen Final

Afbeelding
The final off the Svenska Cuppen will be Norrköping versus Hammarby. Two teams with very different histories, but both now knocking loudly at the door of silverware. For IFK Norrköping, their 2–1 victory over BK Häcken was nothing short of a statement. Once seen as newcomers just happy to survive in the Damallsvenskan, Norrköping have quietly built something serious. The addition of experienced defender Jessica Wik (formerly Samuelsson) over the winter raised a few eyebrows — and expectations. Svea Rehnberg opened the scoring in the first half, and Wilma Liedhammer doubled the lead after the break. Although Felicia Schröder pulled one back late on, it wasn’t enough. Norrköping are no longer just passengers in the top flight — they’re contenders. The other semi-final was a blockbuster: reigning champions FC Rosengård away to Hammarby, themselves league champions and cup winners two years ago. Form pointed toward Hammarby, but few could have predicted the sheer dominance: 5–0. A performa...
Meer lezen