Braxgata HC

{{Infobox field hockey club

| clubname = Braxgata

| image = BraxgataHC.jpg

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| fullname = Braxgata Hockey Club

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| founded = {{Start date and age|1981}}

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| ground = De Schorre, Boom.

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| chairman = Erik Gysels

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| league = Men's Hockey League
Women's Hockey League

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| position = Men: 4th
Women: 3rd

| website = [https://braxgata.be/ Club website]

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Braxgata Hockey Club, also known as Braxgata, is a Belgian professional sports club club based in Boom. The club is most well known for its field hockey section, with both the first men's and women's teams playing as part of the Belgian Hockey League.

History

Braxgata was founded in 1981.{{Cite web |title=DNA of Braxgata |url=https://braxgata.be/club/dna-van-braxgata/}} In 1997, it was named by the Royal Belgian Hockey Association as Club of the Year. Since 2005, Braxgata has found its home in De Schorre.

In 2007, Braxgata organized (together with the Royal Belgian Hockey Association) the Champions Challenge . The Belgian Red Lions participated, but finished in sixth place. The winner of that tournament was Argentina, who won 3–2 after extra time against New Zealand in an exciting final.

In March 2009, Braxgata opened its new club house.{{Cite web |last=Ceulemans |first=Bart |date= |title=HOCKEY Japanse wereldtopper Naohiko Tobita is belangrijke schakel in jeugdwerking Braxgata Boom |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/pj27ngc7 |website=Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish)}} In June 2009, Braxgata was named European Hockey Club of the Year by the European Hockey Federation.

In 2013, Braxgata hosted the 2013 Men's EuroHockey Championship and the 2013 Women's EuroHockey Championship.{{Cite web |last=Verlinden |first=Marc |date= |title=EK hockey zet Boom op de wereldkaart |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/blmve_20130814_001 |website=Het Nieuwsblaad (in Flemish)}}

In 2016, together with the Phantoms Boom (Boom's Basketball Team), Braxgata started on construction of a multi-functional sports hall.{{Cite web |last=Conaerts |first=Ben |title=Werken aan nieuwe sporthal De Schorre van start |url=https://www.hln.be/boom/werken-aan-nieuwe-sporthal-de-schorre-van-start~a277362e |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=HetLaatsteNieuws (in Flemish)}}{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2015 |title=Hockey en basket bouwen nieuwe sporthal in De Schorre |url=https://www.gva.be/regio/antwerpen/regio-antwerpen/boom/hockey-en-basket-bouwen-nieuwe-sporthal-in-de-schorre/39019838.html |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=GVA |language=nl-BE}} It officially dubbed the BraxHall and was opened in March 2017.{{Cite web |last=Boey |first=Jan |title=Braxhall officieel in gebruik en zoekt sponsor die zijn naam aan deze sporttempel wil geven |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/bljbo_02787567 |website=Het Nieuwsblaad (in Flemish)}} The BraxHall has been owned by the town of Boom, via its Autonomous Municipality Company Boom Plus, since January 1, 2020.{{Cite web |last=Conaerts |first=Ben |title=Gemeente krijgt Braxhall in handen: "Sporthal zal breder en intensiever gebruikt worden" |url=https://www.hln.be/boom/gemeente-krijgt-braxhall-in-handen-sporthal-zal-breder-en-intensiever-gebruikt-worden~a2ce58d0/ |website=HetLaatsteNieuws (in Flemish)}}

In 2025, Braxgata finished Runners up in the Women's Euro Hockey League, losing 5–1 against Den Bosch.{{Cite web |last=Thys |first=Werner |date= |title=Den Bosch te sterk, zilver voor straffe Braxgata-vrouwen: "Geweldig avontuur" |url=https://www.hln.be/sport-in-de-buurt/den-bosch-te-sterk-zilver-voor-straffe-braxgata-vrouwen-geweldig-avontuur~a9e6642a/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |website=HetLaatsteNieuws (in Flemish)}}

The first men's team and first women's team have both played in the Hockey League since the 2009–10 season. The women's team became national champions twice{{Cite web |last=nieuwssite |date=May 9, 2016 |title=Hockey speelster Erica Coppey is met de ploeg Braxgata Belgisch Kampioen Dames geworden |url=https://sint-pieters-leeuw.eu/2016/05/09/hockey-speelster-erica-coppey-is-met-de-ploeg-braxgata-belgisch-kampioen-dames-geworden/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Sint-Pieters-Leeuw nieuwssite |language=nl-NL}} and finished first in the regular competition in the 2017–18 season.

Infrastructure

The club grounds are located within the Provincial Domain of De Schorre in Boom. Braxgata, like KHC Dragons, based in Brasschaat, is the only Belgian club with four Artificial turf fields, consisting of three water fields and a so-called quarter sanded artificial turf field.

Honors

;Royal Belgian Hockey Association

Club of the Year (1): 1997

;European Hockey Federation

European Hockey Club of the Year (1): 2009{{Cite web |date=March 9, 2007 |title=Braxgata ontvangt wereldtop hockey |url=https://www.standaard.be/regio/braxgata-ontvangt-wereldtop-hockey/44485491.html |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=De Standaard |language=nl-BE}}