From drinking beers in the pub to sprinting on the football field: in Uden they know Rob Jetten better than just as a politician. The likely future Prime Minister of the Netherlands grew up in Uden, played football at UDI’19 and went to school there. “He was a member of the debate club in high school.”
At café De Preek they know Rob Jetten very well, says Patrik Puyn, the owner. “He comes here sometimes and then he can really go wild. A very nice man. Are we going to rename the café the ‘Rob Jetten café’? Well, I don’t think that’s necessary,” he laughs.
At football club UDI’19, ‘the Jettens’ are known as a real football family. Father Anton played in the first team for years and grandfather Jetten wore the shirt of Helmondia ’55, the predecessor of Helmond Sport. Rob himself reached the B1 of UDI’19 in his youth.
“Given his mentality, he could have just gotten the first one.”
“Rob was a modest boy,” remembers team leader Mari Verhofstad. “It was different on the field. Rob was fast and strong in grabbing the ball. His speed made him really dangerous. Given his mentality, he could have easily gotten the first one.”
Rob stopped playing football after B1 to focus on athletics. “I thought that was a shame. He had a permanent starting position and was a real team player.”
Verhofstad thinks it’s great that the Udenaar has achieved such a big win in the elections. “I am very proud. As a resident of Ude, that is allowed, right? Especially if you have been able to guide such a boy on the field for a year.” Will that field be named after Jetten? “I don’t think so,” Verhofstad smiles. “I think a ‘Rob Jettenveld’ is going a bit too far at the moment.”
“Rob is still involved in our school.”
Rob spent his high school years at the Kruisheren Kollege, now the Udens College. Miel Smits, director of Udens College havo/vwo, is very proud of the former student. “Rob opened our new school building in 2019 and is still involved. He follows us on social media and has come by occasionally.”
According to former teachers, Rob was already socially involved as a student. “He was a member of the debating club at school and spoke once at the city council during his school career.”
He doubts whether the students at school still realize that Rob has been walking around there. “But in the student elections, D66 became the largest party at our school.”