Anyone who used to tell Lisa Scheenaard that she would ever win a medal at the Olympic Games was declared crazy. Yet the 36-year-old Eindhoven became a very strong rowing during and after her student days. Vera Sneijders (24) from Gerwen and Noortje Wilms (23) from Eindhoven are great talents who want to follow the example of clubmate Lisa thanks to the Eindhoven Rowing Association Thêta. “And that while I had never had a serious sport,” says Noortje.
Noortje was on hockey in her childhood, but after she went to study in Eindhoven for rowing. “My sister once took me to a party at the rowing club and that was fun. I was not going to seriously play sports at Thêta, but I thought it would be nice to regularly go cycling with other students. In the last year in high school I had bought a racing bike.”
After a few years, she not only rowed for fun, but turned out to have a lot of talent. “I liked the race rowing and every time it went better. Sometimes I think if I would have liked this sport if I had done it before.”
“You can turn it into your own sauce.”
Since the beginning of this year, Noortje, who is working on her Master of Architecture, has been part of the national rowing team as a measuring trainer. After the NK in April, the union announces who will remain full -time in Amstelveen in the selection of the successful rowing land. “It is an inspiring environment. We train every day with ambitious world toppers. You pick something up from everyone and you can make your own sauce out of it. At our association it is well organized, but here you have extra things that really make top sport.”
“At first it was quite monotonous and boring.”
Rowing was not new for the 1.88 meter long Vera. For her student days she rowed for a year at the Beatrix Eindhoven club. “I got injured with athletics and then rowing came into the picture. At first it was quite monotonous and boring, but the competitions were fun.”
“It was my plan to stop when my injury was over,” she continues, “but that did not happen and, moreover, rowing went better and better. When I went to university, I wanted to go to Thêta. Over the years I developed well and I noticed that the gap with the top became smaller.”
Up to the Dutch Championships Vera and Noortje are in the boat for at least sixteen hours a week. Vera: “From training on the water, in the powerhouse or by bike to the maintenance of your material or to the physio, it takes a lot of time. I am busy with my Master Biomedical Technology, but studying is on a lower level.”
“In Eindhoven we train early in the morning and in the evening, but in Amstelveen we do that during the day. For most rowers it is their job, we also dream of that.” Noortje adds smiling: “Our agendas around the 2028 Olympic Games are still empty.”
In total, Thêta trained seven Olympians, including Sander de Graaf from Made and Lisa Scheenaard, who came into action in Paris last summer. Lisa, who participated in three Olympic Games, is committed to Noa and Vera in addition to her active career. “Everyone has to find their own path, but I have given them some tools on how to tackle things.”
As a rowing, Lisa will play for Thêta during national competitions and she also helps with competition -oriented matters. “I started purely for fun, but the club let me discover what top sport is. That started in the material field with boats, but in addition my coach made sure I made the top.”
Other Thêta rowers at the Olympic Games:
Karel Dormans (2004), Joeri de Groot (2004), Dirk Lippits (2000 and 2004), Gerard Egelmeers (2000) and Jeroen Spaans (2000).