“Competitive teamwork is in danger of becoming an ‘old man’s sport’,” says Cor Fockens, teacher at the AOC in Groningen. According to him, the AOC classes that were established to combat the aging population are working well. “That’s going quite well. We make championships like these fun days. One day of practice, then dinner together and a beer, and the next day we have competition teams. Everyone is very enthusiastic and that’s nice to see.”
18-year-old Wouter Seubers from Borger calls it a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’. “You have to qualify for the other classes, but as a student at the AOC you can participate. That’s really fun.”
However, Seubers is not completely satisfied with his performance. “I went a little crooked,” he says, pointing to the plow field. “That’s because I tried something different with the team today. That’s why yesterday went better.”
Seubers can’t sit with it for too long. After all, he is in Veenhuizen to learn. Fockens looks at everything with a smile. “This is great,” he laughs. “All students find it exciting at the beginning, but as they get started they become very enthusiastic.”
And Fockens himself can’t get enough of the team championships. “You have tractors and plows here, and people talking about tractors and plows. That’s great!”