The protagonists of Goalgetters enter the canteen of their football association in Den Bosch on a red carpet on Saturday. The football players have been followed for six months for a documentary series. And it’s not one about just football, but about the people behind the G-Team. All players have limitations and that is what makes the series so special.
From Saturday evening 30 April, the documentary series can be seen on Omroep Brabant for nine weeks. But this Saturday the players and staff of the special Bossche team already got a taste.
“I really want to put G football on the map.”
Program makers Anne-Marie van Oosteren and Jan Peels got a unique glimpse into the TGG team in Den Bosch. Their son Yannick also plays on the team and is central in the first episode. “I really enjoyed seeing myself again,” he says.
When Yannick was four years old, he had a serious accident. “As a result, I have a mild intellectual disability. That is why I play in the team,” says the 25-year-old footballer. He is not participating in the documentary to be known. “I like to show the Netherlands the difference between G football and regular football. For example, many rules, such as offside, do not exist with us and we only play on half a field. I really want G football put on the map.”
“I played for a regular team, but that went way too fast.”
Job van Santvoort feels the same way. “It’s very important to show that people with disabilities can also do their thing and have fun.” Job has autism and ADHD and therefore playing in a ‘normal’ team is not an option for him. “I played with a regular team, but that went way too fast,” says the footballer. “It’s so cool that they followed us, this is really a once in a lifetimee chance.”
Documentary maker Anne-Marie had been thinking about doing something with Den Bosch’s G-team for a long time. “I have been a supporter of the team for years. I often look down the line with great emotion. That is because the experience on the field with the G-team is so much nicer, bigger and more intense than with any other team. I want to show it to everyone.”
“The opponent is also a friend of ours.”
Football is the common thread in the docu-series, but we also get a glimpse into the private lives of eight players. “You’re really going to love them,” Anne-Marie says with a smile. “The players in the G-team have a harder time in daily life, they have to compete against the outside world that goes just a little faster. In this team they are among each other and happy to belong to a team. them the highlight of the week.”
“It is really an outing with us”, Yannick confirms. “Everyone lives to play football on Saturday. The opponent is also a friend of ours.” That also becomes clear in one of the episodes. You can see that it is really about friendship, fun and respect for each other for the players. If the opponent from Waalwijk is having a hard time, two players from Den Bosch will help. They put on the opponent’s shirt and help them score a goal. That typifies G football.
From Saturday 30 April, the documentary Goalgetters can be seen on Omroep Brabant for nine weeks.
