Best basketball club in the Netherlands cannot do without ‘De Riddertjes’
1/4 Father and son working as a sweeper for the Bossche basketball club (photo: Anja de Ridder)
“The Knights are back”, it sounds regularly in the stands and along the side at the Bosscheclub Heroes. The De Ridder family, consisting of father Roland (56), mother Anja (52) and son Stefan (17) are just as important to the club as the public: they feel it when they are not there. ‘De Riddertjes’ keep the club running behind the scenes, so that the players have all the space they need to peak. The Bossche club can qualify for the play-off final for the national championship on Saturday evening.
It could then be the 17th time that Heroes Den Bosch has the best basketball players in the Netherlands. It is the successful club in Dutch basketball history. The De Ridder family helps the club with many peripheral matters that are necessary for a top-level club. Together they help with the opening and dismantling of the room. Anja is in the fan shop. Roland helps with the card check and Stefan used to mop the floor during the match until recently, but now helps his father check. They all do this volunteers.
“It seems like an extra job, but it also brings us a lot.”
And the family does much more, Anja says. “We make the players’ houses for foreign players who come to the Netherlands. We show them around in Den Bosch. We also do that for the basketball player’s partner because it is often a bit lonely in a country where you don’t know anyone.”
Roland’s work is sometimes translated verbatim on their voluntary hobby. “It seems like an extra job”, are the comments to Roland with wide-eyed faith. “It’s also quite a lot of time that we put into it,” he admits.
“The Knights are not there, does it sound panicky.”
“It has become our social life”, Anja develops their unbridled commitment. “We have a claim everywhere. We are really missed when we are not there. Then it suddenly sounds ‘The Knights are not there’, but then with panic in the voice”, she chuckles.
The family hobby actually started nine years ago. “The club was looking for ‘weepers’, usually children who have fallen to the floor and are sweating on the floor. Stefan was eight at the time and he liked it. We were asked if we could help with some chores. That’s how it started. “
In the coming weeks, De Riddertjes will have to work hard. Then Heroes Den Bosch will play in the play-offs. “That means several games a week until somewhere in June, if they don’t lose,” explains Anja. “We took a month off in August. We will not move players, as we did before during the holidays. We are really off to start a season again with full force”, it sounds determined.
Then the basketball club will be without De Riddertjes for a month. “But we are not the only fanatic volunteers that Heroes has,” says Anja. “It seems as if the club can function because of us. We really do it together with other volunteers. In fact, there are two more families where the basketball heart beats so much.”