By
Aline Chatel
Published on
May 25, 2024 at 1:24 p.m.
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“Either way, there will be tears. I hope they will be happy. » Pauline Le Dret is preparing to experience an evening rich in emotions, Saturday May 25, 2024. The Colombelles goalkeeper will complete a long history with her club and handball. The Harnes reception will be his last match before a sporting retirement decided at just 24 years old. It will also constitute a final for maintenance in Nationale 1.
I wouldn’t want to go downhill, I would feel like I was abandoning my team. But this decision was made before all that.
All of this is an extremely difficult season which has seen Colombelles go from a natural contender for the top 5, which he is at every start, to a candidate for maintenance. First non-relegation, the CLCH will have to beat Harnes – “who will not give up, out of pride” – so as not to depend on the result of Charnay, a small point behind him.
“A treacherous level”
Project manager in events and marketing, Pauline Le Dret could not have written a better dramaturgy to close her personal book. Handball will stop on this last outing.
Professional and personal reasons dictated my choice. My partner, who plays in Nationale 2 in Falaise, is also stopping. The two of us don’t have a single evening in common.
Player of Nationale 1, the third French level, Pauline Le Dret plays at “a treacherous level”, one which requires a significant investment without allowing her to make a living from her practice. “You have to find a job that combines with handball. In event communication, in my field, it’s complicated. I’m running after all. I hope that in the future, Colombelles will be able to offer professionalization, D2. »
“Life without a hand is a bit scary”
Pauline Le Dret made the decision to stop prematurely during the season. “I did a trek in Morocco with Marie Gagez and Mathilde Ruel in October. We realized that there were other sporting challenges that could be fun. » Nevertheless, the goalkeeper is preparing to take a 180-degree turn.
It’s a little scary life without a hand. I’ve been there since fifth grade. My whole world revolves around handball: couple, friends, family… But I talked about it with those who stopped, they experience it very well. I don’t see why I couldn’t do it.
This end of his career – “perhaps not definitive” – also marks the end of a seven-year cycle at Colombelles. “I arrived at the same time as Reynaldo (Mazzoli, sacked a few weeks ago, editor’s note). I called him to recruit me. I left Cref, I was in N3 in Troarn, all my friends were in Colombelles. Reynaldo didn’t know me at all. »
“A role like Adil Rami”
After the departures of Anaïs Thépaut and Mathilde Hamel, Pauline Le Dret found herself the sole goalkeeper of the first team. “I had a blast, those were my best seasons when I was all alone. We had the impression, at that time, that handball was easy. » The current season is much more complicated, including on a personal level.
I took on a different role by being one of the oldest. I’m a bit of a clown too. I am more in advice than in performance, because Victorine (Lepresle) has taken her place in the goals. I have an Adil Rami role at the World Cup (laughing).
The young woman hopes to properly celebrate the end of a long chapter of her existence this evening, from 8:30 p.m. “I don’t even know how we got back on track, we started playing collectively as we should,” she explains about the last two victories obtained. It’s a shame that Chambray didn’t give up…” At least, the emotion will be great in the event of success against Harnes.
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