Hockey professional Laurens Halfmann in the HANAFSAN interview

The 21-year-old from Düsseldorf has already achieved a lot, but he has a very clearly defined goal: the German A national team. Until then, Laurens Halfmann still has some hurdles to overcome, but he is already preparing physically every day as well as with a healthy diet for his big dream and wants to give everything to make it a reality.

Laurens, while field hockey is quite famous in Germany, the sport is relatively unknown in other European countries. How did you decide to pursue this sport?

When I started playing field hockey as a little boy, I wasn't initially very enthusiastic. However, my parents kept sending me to training. For that, I can only thank them in hindsight, because the older I got, the better I became, and the more I enjoyed this special sport. I was able to win titles at a young age and already dreamed of playing for the German national team. When I first played for the U16 German national hockey team in Paris in 2014, it felt like a dream. Now I have gone through all the German U-national teams and work hard every day to make the jump to the A national team.

2020 was probably a special year for you as well. How did you cope during this "exceptional time"?

I think it was not an easy year for anyone. Humanity was significantly restricted in its freedom this year due to Covid19. For me personally, it was also not easy, as my sport, like all others, suffered. Nevertheless, I worked a lot on myself, my body, and my mentality and tried to cope with it as best as I could. I learned that you shouldn't let it get you down, but rather make the best of it and use the time wisely and meaningfully to work on yourself.

What were your most beautiful sporting experiences?

Fortunately, I have already had many beautiful moments in my still young hockey career. On a national level, it was certainly the two German championship titles in 2018 and 2019 in the 1st German Hockey Bundesliga. On an international level, the most beautiful moment was winning the U18 European Championship in 2016 in Cork, Ireland. These are all moments that give me goosebumps at the slightest thought.

You have worked a lot on yourself and also looked more closely at the topic of plant-based nutrition. Why?

Nature is something very special to me in general. I love being outdoors, whether in the mountains or by the sea. Nature gives me a lot of energy and serves as a great balance to the everyday life of a professional athlete. Also, in terms of nutrition, it plays an important role for me in the form of high-quality, unprocessed plant products. There is still so much new to discover – a journey that is fun. I generally pay a lot of attention to my diet and consider it essential as a professional athlete to be able to consistently perform at a high level.

How did you come across hemp foods and cannabidiol (CBD) oils?

I became aware of hemp protein some time ago and also learned from my nutritionist that hemp foods like hemp protein and cosmetic care products with CBD are said to be very good and helpful and have a lot of added value in many respects. I was also made aware of approved hemp products by a football professional who was seeing the same physiotherapist as I was, and through these channels, I learned about the potential that the hemp plant holds.

How do you see the future of hemp, CBD & Co in the sports scene in general? In the USA, for example, more and more professional athletes are declaring themselves big fans and advocates of CBD. Do you think this will also be the case in Europe someday?

Once people in the larger collective realize that the plant has an unparalleled added value, this trend will definitely solidify here as well. I generally think that the plant has already succeeded in changing its image and can look forward to a positive future. In the national sports scene, this is not yet a big topic, and I think many are still not well enough informed about the plant and its active ingredients, but I look positively towards the fact that this will soon change. Hemp has already earned its status as a "superfood," and that can certainly be built upon.

Finally: The brand HANAFSAN with its organic hemp foods and natural cosmetics CBD products has established itself as a reliable partner for professional athletes in the DACH region in recent years. How do you perceive the brand and the company's philosophy?

I have perceived the brand HANAFSAN from the very beginning as being quite different from the competition. I find the philosophy of the scientifically oriented company extremely admirable, as it is really about a fact-based and efficient collaboration. The company not only focuses on high-quality products from its own production but also strongly emphasizes education and information - and I admire that very much. That’s why I decided to become a part of the HANAFSAN family and to further establish the topic of healthy nutrition and regeneration with hemp and CBD in my environment.

Image sources: © see photo / Laurens Halfmann