The championship is won a week later, on May 25, with a 3-1 win over Hoogeveen, which has already been relegated. Even better, because almost only players from the fishing village are in the selection. The club has a policy that two players can come from outside and the rest must be Volendam residents. After the promotion, almost the entire selection remains intact, except for Jim Beers (IJsselmeervogels) and Daan Steur (FC Volendam).
Second division
Volendam’s start in the second division is difficult. The first victory came in the fourth match and after that things started going better for Smit’s men. They enter the winter break in thirteenth place. Yet the year ends with a small blemish. Smit decides to leave as trainer of RKAV Volendam after three years. “If I decided with my heart, I would still continue. My common sense told me to stop,” he says.
One thing is clear: no one will take the championship in the third division away from Smit and his players.