A stunt was not possible for Spaarnestad. Still, after the cup loss against Premier League side SSS, a proud feeling prevails at the Haarlem volleyball club. A few days later, several different members of Spaarnestad appear in front of the NH Sport camera with a big smile. In a new broadcast they talk enthusiastically about the family feeling and the ambitions of their club.
“We have shown that we can keep up a bit,” Stef Hofman looks back on last Saturday. Opponent SSS from Barneveld plays two levels higher, but the differences were barely visible.
Hofman: “This has created a lot of positivity. I think we were really seen, because there were a lot of people.”
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Just like her brother, Mirte Hofman plays for Spaarnestad. She plays for the first women’s team and, in addition to playing volleyball, also enjoys the fun within the club. “We really have a team of friends.”
“I think we can guarantee that as a club,” is Mirte Hofman’s feeling of finding the right balance between performance and fun. “We are all quite busy taking that step.”
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There is currently one North Holland club playing at the highest volleyball level; PDK Huizen is in its fourth year in the Premier League. This is largely due to financial injections from sponsors.
If Spaarnestad wants to take the same step as the Gooise club, a big wallet is also important in Haarlem.
In addition to volleyball, you will see a candid story from Jeff Tesselaar in this NH Sport. The 22-year-old athlete from Heerhugowaard struggled with stuttering for a long time and that had a significant impact on his career. Furthermore, Haarlemmers dive into the Puppet Theater for their favorite sports moment of 2025.
The NH Sport broadcast is broadcast every Monday at 5:10 PM and then repeated every half hour. You can also click on the video at the top of this article for today’s entire broadcast.