He is sitting on blind football, but Guus van der Zanden has had a hobby since this weekend. The 8-year-old sportsman from Boskant was one of the participants in the try-out of blind and visually impaired tennis in Schijndel on Saturday, a first in the Netherlands. “It’s the first time I tennis, very fun to do.”
With the new sport for the Netherlands, the tennis rules have been adjusted so that the game becomes more accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. For example, the net is lowered to eighty centimeters, the lines of the field can be felt, the special tennis ball makes noise and it can bounce three times. People who are blind can have a supervisor on the job who gives them the ball and puts them in the right position.
“It was difficult to hit the ball the first few times,” says Guus (8), who despite the fact that he sees nothing, the ball strikes the room harder and harder. “Now that I know the movement, it is easier to do. If possible, I would like to keep playing tennis. “
The adapted form of tennis in the Netherlands is due to Fanny van den Heuvel. De Berghemse is on a voluntary basis and referee at Tennisbond KNLTB, her husband Danny is an international referee. They were together at a Davis Cup match in Montenegro when she was asked as a referee at the World Cup blind tennis in Italy. “At first I thought it was a joke, but it turned out to be the start of a great challenge.”
“This sport gives her hope.”
“The World Cup was large, for example with an opening and closing ceremony. I wondered why none of the Netherlands participated. It turned out that blind tennis is still unknown here. I went to the union with it, but for this initiative I first had to set up a foundation to roll out my plans. Fortunately, after a call on social media, I received help from Elise Dolmans, who is visually impaired. It gave her hope that she could pick up the sport she did before. “
The BSTN Foundation was founded at the end of January and the goals are ambitious. Fanny hopes that the sport will be on the program of the Paralympic Games in 2032. “We want to go to the Games with the Netherlands as a participant. The start is this weekend with Try-Outs in Schijndel and Amstelveen, but there is also interest from other places. We prefer to roll out the sport throughout the Netherlands with help.”
Schijndel received the honor for the first try-out of the Netherlands. Sportcoach Harm Oppers: “As a municipality of Meierijstad we want to make sports appropriate for people with a disability. For example, we are setting up a sports center in Schijndel. Blind football was already in our offer, but tennis is a good addition. The great thing is that like -minded people enjoy sports and meet each other. “
Stephanie de Heijde from Helmond, who supported Fanny’s citizens’ initiative as a community worker, plays a game of tennis a little further. She expects the sport to grow considerably in the coming years. “Fortunately, there are more and more options for people with a (visual) disability to exercise. I only see 50 percent and I used to see balls coming when they fell in my blind spot. With this sport the pace is lower and I manage to hit back. ”