Wed Jun 26, 2024, 12:00 Sports Read 214 times
CAPELLE • Enjoy hitting a shuttle. enjoy the sport of badminton. Pjotr de Koning has found that pleasant combination at BC Schollevaar.
Every week he stands ready in the Aquapelle sports hall with a group of six other athletes with an intellectual disability and an enthusiastic group of supervisors. “I wouldn’t want to miss it,” says the 30-year-old resident of a residential facility in Moordrecht. “It’s cozy and fun!”
‘It is a pleasure to guide these badminton players’
“The pleasure is completely mutual,” smiles supervisor and BC Schollevaar board member Hanno van Alten. “It is a joy to guide this group of badminton players.”
BC Schollevaar has been home to a group of G badminton players for many years. “We started it in the period when we were still mainly active in the sports hall at the Zevenkampsering,” Van Alten delves into the history. “We took over G-badminton from BC Asterix, a club from Rotterdam. We are still happy that we took that step, because the G-ers are an enrichment for our association. As a supervisor, I enjoy these players every week. They are people without a double agenda and full of enthusiasm. Also nice: they are extremely grateful. And sometimes nervous when – like tonight – there is a tournament on the program. Everyone stares eagerly at the prizes, including that one ‘golden’ cup. They all want to win it.”
BC Schollevaar has six supervisors available for the group of seven G badminton players. “We pretty much work one on one,” says Hanno van Alten. “And that is not an unnecessary luxury, because badminton is a technical sport and it is useful if you properly assist the players with their activities on the court.”
‘My grandmother taught me badminton’
Pjotr de Koning has completed his first match during the tournament for ‘the golden cup’. Together with his supervisor Esli he turned it into a beautiful and exciting piece. Pjotr has been playing badminton for many years, he says.
“My grandma taught me,” he goes back in time. “Just in the living room. And my father and mother played it too. In Tilburg. When we moved ‘to the west’ my father and I became members of BC Scholllevaar. And now I only play there, because sadly enough daddy is no longer alive.”
On weekdays Pjotr works at Brownies & Downies. He really enjoys his activities in the catering industry. “I’m really enjoying it. It’s cozy. What I enjoy most is serving the guests. I’d like to have a chat. But I also do payment, clearing, cleaning and other things like that. Also nice.”
‘I’m pretty good at it’
Pjotr de Koning likes to spend his free time listening to music and watching television. He also doesn’t mind doing some household chores in his apartment. Tuesday evenings are always reserved for his favorite sport: badminton.
“I’m pretty good at it,” says Pjotr as he demonstrates a great-looking short backhand serve. “Serving is good and net drops too. Are there any strokes that could be better? No, nothing,” he says with a broad smile.
And he’s gone. To court 1, because a new tournament match awaits there. An interview with the newspaper is fine, but playing badminton yourself is infinitely more interesting..!”
Jan Timmer
2024-06-26 10:03:04
#Gbadminton #Pjotr #Konings #passion
