Noordenveld Korfball Club has existed for fifty years. That golden anniversary was celebrated today with a day full of festivities and activities, including a family tournament.
To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary, the sports complex on Borgerlaan was transformed into a festival site. After the presentation of a certificate by councilor Paul Bossina, teams composed of family members and friends competed against each other during a tournament.
The Van den Hengel family participated in that tournament. Both parents Erik and Janneke and the three daughters are members of the korfball club. “I’ve only been there for a few months,” says Erik. “My wife has been a member for a while, but our oldest two children have been playing the longest of all of us.”
The family is confident. “Of course we are going for the full win,” Erik says determinedly. “But if that doesn’t work out, we’ll have fun anyway.” Daughter Jinte (8) is also convinced of the opportunities: “If we work well together, we will succeed,” she adds.
The association has experienced significant growth in recent years. In 2020, the association had 200 members, now there are about 330. Jeroen Kruims, chairman of KV Noordenveld, sees the so-called kangaroos as a factor that can explain the growth.
“These are children from three to six years old who are introduced to this sport through play. You see a considerable progression to the youth teams.” The kangaroos play korfball every Saturday morning.
“We also have the Old Stars. These are the older korfball players who play korfball in an adapted way.”
In the future, Kruims hopes to grow into an association with 400 members. “We want to maintain our culture and family feeling by continuing to keep people involved in the association.”
The evening ends with live music from a DJ and a band. “That will be fun hustling and dancing,” Kruims laughs.