VEENENDAAL Edwin Schriemer has been a board member of the Badminton Duovereniging Veenendaal for as long as he can remember. He has been chairman of the association for more than thirty years over two periods. But that is not all that Schriemer does, who is also a volunteer at Sportservice Veenendaal, the youth sports week, the Sports Gala Veenendaal, the badminton association and the annual Dutch Open. In addition to his full-time job. He does it with love. “Connecting and bringing people together is my hobby.”
“I was 23 years old when I came to live in Veenendaal and I joined the badminton club almost immediately. I have been treasurer and have done the membership administration and I have now been chairman of our beautiful and friendly association for quite a long time. Every now and then it is good to hold a mirror up to yourself and ask yourself whether you have been sitting there too long. We must also dare to say to each other; Are we going to go another round or not? It is volunteer work, it should not become an energy drain. In any case, it hasn’t bothered me yet,” says Edwin Schriemer, now 58, with enthusiasm.
DUTCH OPEN
In addition to his activity in Veenendaal, Edwin Schriemer can also be found every year at the Yonex Dutch Open in De Maaspoort in Den Bosch. “The last week of October I was there again from morning to evening. I always take a week off for that,” he says. He does all his volunteer work in addition to his regular job. “I work full-time as a controller at a total of five schools for special education in Amsterdam.”
Every year he meets players from a hundred countries all over the world at the Yonex Dutch Open. “We are there all day from Sunday to Sunday. We have breakfast every day at 6:30 am, after which the lights come on at 7:00 am. As a floor manager, I am responsible for everything during the Yonex Dutch Open. Addressing problems on the track, ensuring that the nets are up. Everything that has to do with implementation. After this week I literally have blisters under my feet,” he laughs. It’s always worth it for him. “Last Sunday we had a wonderful final day. It was live on TV for two hours.”
DUO ASSOCIATION VEENENDAAL
In addition to all his work, Edwin Schriemer is also active for the Badminton band one day a week. “As a result, I visit Papendal a lot and I also make contacts for badminton in Veenendaal.” Current trainer Kirsten Wit he found this way at Papendal. “A super talent who has the same sponsor as we have in Veenendaal. Last season she gave a clinic in Veenendaal and that way the contact has always remained there. We asked her if she would like to train the senior teams and she now does that on Tuesdays. We are very happy with that.”
Edwin Schriemer himself, as a player in the fourth team of Badminton Duovereniging Veenendaal, can also enjoy the training sessions. “I used to play tennis and started playing badminton during my studies at the Military Academy,” says Edwin Schriemer, who grew up in Groningen. “After the Academy we moved to the center of the country. That’s how I ended up at the badminton club.”
FOR BADMINTON
Through his contacts at Papendal, the Para Top Badminton Tournament also came to Veenendaal. “Until recently, the para badminton players trained at Papendal, but NOC*NSF unfortunately stopped it,” says Edwin Schriemer, who is a member of the Para committee. “We have been organizing NK Para badminton in Veenendaal for ten years now. It is important that everyone exercise. It is still a shame that during the Olympic Games we can follow everything almost 24 hours a day and that only fragments of the Paralympic Games are broadcast on television. It is important to really give people a platform. The same podium that able-bodied athletes get.”
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF ORANGE NASSAU
Earlier this year, Edwin Schriemer was appointed to Theater de Lampegiet Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau. He received the ribbon for his years of dedication as a volunteer. What he does, among other things, for Sportservice Veenendaal, at the Youth Sports Week and as a jury member of the Sports Gala in Veenendaal. In addition, of course, for everything he does for badminton in Veenendaal and the annual organization of the NK Para badminton. “It’s cool that people around you think you deserve it. However, it also requires you to do something in other areas. I have also been active in the church as treasurer, among other things, because of my accounting background. Volunteer work is necessary and important to maintain association life. I am someone who likes to organize and take responsibility. I wish everyone a great association,” he says.
SPORTS DAY UNLIMITED SPORTY
That is why he is also involved with Sportservice Veenendaal. “My role there is sports participation and making sure everyone gets enough exercise. That was also great with the Sports Day Unlimited Sportief that we recently organized with Sportservice Veenendaal. The only limitation is you, they said there. Last year, wheelchair photographer Anco had an exhibition at the Cultuurfabriek with photos of athletes with disabilities. He called me asking if I could take two photos of the Para Badminton. We set up badminton and some other sports on the square, creating a spontaneous event based on the exhibition. This ultimately resulted in the Sports Day Unlimited Sporty, which many athletes with disabilities enjoyed. This allowed them to become acquainted with baseball for the blind and they could also play fencing, badminton, table tennis, korfball and much more.”
Edwin Schriemer indicates that he is often involved in sports. He also indicates that volunteers are so important. “People want to organize something, but not always in a committee. We find it quite difficult to tackle that. But once you do it, you will notice what it brings you. Very satisfying.”
