“Everyone deserves the same treatment as an elite athlete”

societal engagement by TeamNL

Actually, from day one in the hospital, I already set my goal to be back in the rink again. That was an intense process. I was in the hospital for eight weeks after which I needed at least a one-year rehabilitation period. That was accompanied with many ups and downs, but I have never given up on my dream. I continued to believe that it was possible again. I did everything in my power to accomplish that goal. What helped me a lot is the support I received from people all over the country. That helped me so much. I wanted to do something in return. The Sjinkie Foundation was established with that thought. To help others who have gone through the same as I did with their return to the society. So that they can follow their own dreams and pursue their goals. I know from my own experience how hard this is. Some extra support does not do any harm.

With the Sjinkie Foundation, we support the recovery. Training and being physically active are important tools to achieve this. We often organize activities and help people by listening. People believe that you are very limited in your movements due to the burns. This is partly true of course, but you can always do something about it. It is extremely important to start moving during the early stages of the recovery. That makes such a difference for the following stages of your recovery. It is inspiring if you can share this with people. They see that it also worked for me and that I am back in the rink again. It is great that I can be of any help to someone this way.

The other day, we came into contact with a little boy who had also been hospitalized in the burn center in Groningen and whose skin was completely burned. He was not involved in sport at all but he thought it was fantastic that I had also been hospitalized there. He really wanted to come and watch one of my races. That was supposed to happen during the World Cup in Dordrecht. It did not occur due to COVID-19. An audience was not allowed to be present. At a later stage, he came to watch a training in Heerenveen and we spoke with each other. He thought it was great. He saw me during the training and thought: If Sjinkie can recover, then I can do so too. He had contacted us via the burn center. The physicians there had told him about the Sjinkie Foundation. We have very good contacts with the burn center. We have close ties with them.

What I would like is that everyone receives the same treatment as an elite athlete. I was informed by the physicians that I would receive a different treatment than someone who was not an elite athlete. They considered, discussed and reviewed carefully what we were going to do: ‘Hey, he wants to go skating again and participate in the Olympics. His skin is burned in some parts of his body. These parts are crucial for skating. We have to devote more attention to this.’ The physicians were also involved in the Beijing Olympics in this respect. Which is wonderful of course. But it should also be the case for others. The Sjinkie Foundation makes them aware of this. It makes sense that I am the showcase to this end, but I focus first and foremost on my elite sport career. That is who I am, an elite athlete. But I help where I can and I do so with great joy.

My goal for now is participating in major international competitions, the European Championships and the World Championships. My major goal is Milan 2026. And by then, I think it’s enough. Then I am 36 years old. I love it and I would like to continue as long as possible, but you have to quit at a certain moment. It would be great if that happens with a gold medal. I don’t have that one yet. It will be quite difficult for the individual races, but it can always happen during the relay races. Charles Hamelin also won gold with Canada with the relay races when he was 36 years old. I’ll go for it. With the support of my doctors. I receive messages from them every once in a while and they wish me good luck.”

Sjinkie Knegt

“It was quite an intense process with many ups-and-downs, but I have never given up on my dream”

“After I had recovered from the severe burns I had suffered and I was ready to go racing again, everything came to a standstill due to COVID-19. As a result, I had only been able to perform in a couple of races before the Beijing Olympics. That is not enough, actually. You need races to give an optimal performance during the Olympics. But all right, I was so very happy that I was there. Unfortunately, the results have been a bit disappointing. I had expected more from the relay races. Suzanne fell during the mixed relay race and we were defeated by an inch before the finish during the men’s relay race. We should have won a medal twice. But it is what it is. Now, a new season is ahead of us. A fresh start with new opportunities. We will go for it again. I am excited.

Skating super-fast on the ice is what Sjinkie Knegt loves most. This ended in January 2019. He was severely injured when he lit the wood burner and his clothes caught fire. A long and difficult rehabilitation process followed. He received heartwarming support from the society. Others who have gone through the same as he did deserve this support as well. The Sjinkie Foundation was established with that thought.

“I would like to return something to the society with the Sjinkie Foundation”

societal engagement by TeamNL

“It started with my brother and my parents, who wanted to stay fit”

“It is you and I against each other on the mat. See who is the strongest of the two”

Due to COVID-19, the Games were different from any other one. Without an audience really makes a big difference, is what I heard from everybody who had already performed at the Olympics. Of course, that is true, but it did not bother me at all personally. I am an elite athlete. I was there to win a medal. I actually thought it was all right this way. No audience, no hassle, no show. It is you and me against each other on the mat. See who is the strongest of the two. That is judo in its purest form. Anything around it is a side issue and I don’t care. It is all about winning and being the best. Let’s see where we will end up in Paris, although I have to qualify first of course.

Whether I like collecting rubbish? I just like to go for a stroll and to be out in nature. However, it is such a mess. When I was still in high school in the past, you would already find all kinds of rubbish back then. Empty bags of chips, cans. I thought: People no longer do that, right? Well, they still do, unfortunately. When you are annoyed by all the rubbish you find, then you might as well pick it up and collect it yourself. That is how I started. With garden gloves and a plastic bag. At a later stage, it turned out that my municipality, Bernheze, was already involved in it. I registered together with my mother. We were given a jacket and garbage bags. These are collected when they are full. I like doing it. You are rather selfish as an elite athlete. This way, you can do something for the society after all.

When the COVID-19 crisis had just started and we were no longer allowed to practice at Papendal, I offered sport trainings to people in my village. I had to do something. I am not good at sitting on my hands. It started with my brother and my parents, who wanted to stay fit. We started power stepping, work-outs with sport elastics bands and skippy balls. They liked it so much that I started to offer sport to everyone in the village who was interested. I offered it for free to those who could not afford it. And I bought coupons from local restaurants with the money I received from the people who could afford it. I distributed these among health care professionals from the nursing home in Heeswijk. They had to deal with so much. You realize that there is more than just sport. Just as the death by suicide of my brother Steef. Then nothing is important anymore, really. Upon completion of Tokyo, I ran a marathon to collect funds for 113 Suicide Prevention, to stimulate an open discussion about suicidal thoughts.

I have always been engaged in society. We used to discuss politics at home quite often. About the way in which we should shape a society. And when you grow older, you observe your own role in the world and you act pursuant to this role. Thus, it is no coincidence either that I pursue an education to become a lecturer in social studies. I think I will be busy studying for another one or two years. Unfortunately, it is a study program which is hard to combine with elite sport. It is difficult to actually teach and be present. I still have to complete several internship assignments from the third and fourth year. It will be all right in the end. My number one priority is the mat now. And I do something on the side at times. I gave a judo clinic during the National Sport Week. I truly enjoyed doing that. And it is for a good cause: inspiring children, adults, elderly to practice sport and be physically active. Everybody benefits from it.”

“I took a three-month break after the Olympics. I needed that, I was mentally tired. I met with a lot of friends and I went on vacation twice. I thought it was enough at a certain moment. I am not the type of person to sit at home. I am back to my work-out routine once again. I reflect on Tokyo in satisfaction. Bronze is nice, but I aimed for gold. It was possible. What I truly find a pity, is that we did not win a medal as a team. We were so close. Then, you go home with a better feeling as a judo team. We did not accomplish what was possible. You need to have luck sometimes as well.

The preparations for Tokyo were special. We were quite shaken by COVID-19. I truly was extremely careful. Perhaps I was the most panicky of the team in that respect. I have not seen anyone inside for a period of eight months prior to the Olympics, apart from the trainings. I did not visit my mother, I did not enter into restaurants and I did not meet with friends at their homes. I only went for a stroll outside with people and I went for a coffee at a two meter distance. No matter what, I did not want to be infected by COVID-19. What if you do not make it to the Olympics after all? You don’t know either for whom or as regards what you have to be cautious.

Two men or two women against each other on the mat and then see who is the strongest of the two. That is judo in its purest form, Sanne van Dijke believes. In fact, anything around it is just a side issue. Thus, she did not miss the audience in Tokyo. Although she did like it indeed to celebrate her bronze medal with friends and family during the TeamNL Olympic Festival in Scheveningen. No matter how much she focuses on herself during sport, she shows a completely different side of herself from a societal point of view.

Sanne van Dijke

“If you are annoyed by all the rubbish you find, then you might as well pick it up and collect it yourself”

societal engagement by TeamNL

“It is good to get these kids into moving!”

“Everyone deserves a chance in life, also a second one”

I want to pass on what sport has given me, what I have learned. This is why I am exploring the opportunities of a societal career upon the completion of my career in elite sport. I enjoy working with young people, to get them on the right track and to keep it that way. I have been committed to this in the past years. I assisted youngsters who attend special schools which focus on children with behavioral problems and a difficult situation at home. They have gone into trouble before. Then you start talking with them. ‘Everyone deserves a second chance’, I tell them. ‘Believe in yourself, believe in your dreams and follow your dreams.’ There is one boy whom I coach who has quite some criminal history. Now, he goes back to school again. He has a living and a job on the side. That gives me satisfaction.

When I have completed my baseball career, I want to continue with that. The group programs TeamNL@work | Personal branding and TeamNL@work | Entrepreneurship, an opportunity for you?, where I have learned how to personally position and profile myself, will help me when I really start my entrepreneurship in a while. I also met Celeste Plak there, the volleyball player. Together, we came up with an idea to get youngsters into moving. The Holendrecht Games are a result of this. Young people could do all kinds of activities. Basketball, boxing, street baseball, singing. It was so much fun and it leads to the desire for more.

I have also been involved in the community. This has partly to do with my childhood. I often visited the Bijlmer in Amsterdam when I was a child. My cousins lived there. It was quite an intense neighborhood. At the same time, I saw many talented boys and girls. They were able to play soccer well, sing, danse or whatever. At a certain moment, they would quit and started doing the wrong things. I thought that was a pity. When you are gifted with a talent, then you have to do something with it. I found my career in baseball and I developed myself to this end. This is how it should be for everyone. I have always kept that in mind. I thought: There is so much talent. If I am ever in the lucky position to help those youngsters, then I will do that. In a while, when I have finished baseball, then I will commit myself to this fulltime. I want to share my story with companies and schools, about the way I learned to fail, which made me even stronger and successful. I will add a baseball clinic to it.

The other day, I was asked to become socially involved for TeamNL for The Healthy Generation. This is an initiative to obtain the healthiest youth world-wide in the Netherlands by 2040. We went to two schools and we gave a warming-up. We started playing sports, walking, running. It is good to get these kids into moving! To make them aware of its importance. That is necessary. As a child, I was outside all the time. Playing, building huts, you name it. Now, kids watch their phones the entire time or they are gaming with cola, cakes or apple pies. One boy had four cans of Red Bull with him. I said: ‘What are you going to do with it?’ ‘Drink it.’ ‘Not all today I hope?’ ‘Oh yes, I finish these every day before 3 o’clock.’ Unbelievable. My own children will not eat sweets during the week. They should not get used to eating sugars which is devastating for their health. I want them to grow up healthy. I have that wish for all children. This is why we have to provide them with a solid foundation.”

“Baseball has given me a lot. First of all fun. It is a fantastic sport. Additionally, I am happy to have lived so many experiences. But I am not ready yet. I want to continue for another two to three years. If I look back now, then I see a wonderful elite career. I look at this career with pride. And with a smile. I signed a professional contract with the Seattle Mariners when I was nineteen years old. It was a dream that came true for me. I took pride in that moment. Winning the Baseball World Cup with the Netherlands in 2011 was an all-time highlight. Just as batting in Andruw Jones during the 2013 World Baseball Classic was. At that time, he was my teammate, whilst I had had a poster of him above my bed when I was a child. He was my idol. It is an overwhelming feeling to play together in a team one day. The birth of my son gave me an equally overwhelming feeling. It was the same day as the finals of the European Baseball Championship in 2016. Immediately after my son was born, I drove from The Hague to Hoofddorp with the speed of 160 kilometers per hour, where the final game was played. The sixth inning was already underway when I arrived. The audience gave me a standing ovation. And some moments later, we were European champion. A memorable experience indeed.

Baseball player Kalian Sams returned to the Netherlands in 2019 after a successful career abroad with clubs such as the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and Québec Capitales. He signed a contract with L&D Amsterdam Pirates and won the Holland Series twice in a row. Sam has always been engaged in the community. It is a rewarding experience for him to guide young people and to help them in accomplishing the best for themselves. He will commit himself fulltime to this when he has finished his baseball career.

Kalian Sams

“Baseball has given me a lot, and I want to pass it on”

societal engagement by TeamNL

“When people start to practice sport, it is great that they realize they can do it and start smiling”

“I want to make sport accessible to all”

I had planned to finish my sport career in Beijing 2022. Indeed, in the snow. After Rio, I focused on wheelchair skiing. I wanted to be the first Dutch Paralympic athlete who earns a medal at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. It turned out to be a disappointment. My goal was to earn three medals and I returned home with none. I was and am highly disillusioned. I continue with another Paralympic cycle. In fact, I had already decided this before the Olympics. I think that what I do now is the most rewarding experience ever. I travel around the world and I may go skiing in the best places. And I notice that I continue to be better each time. I would be crazy if I gave up my office in the snow for an office with four walls. Furthermore, I consider it very important that I can inspire others as an elite athlete to go and practice sport. I think that everyone should practice sport, regardless whether you have a disability. It’s fun, it keeps you fit and it gives you energy. You enrich and improve your life thanks to sport.

I have pursued the TeamNL@work group program Personal branding. You observe yourself as a brand. What do you deem important, how do you want to market yourself, what makes you tick? I want to make sport accessible to all and encourage as many people as possible to start practicing a sport and exercising. Some need a little push, others need a kick up the pants. When I look at myself, nothing can hold me back. In addition to training at Papendal, where I am residing three days a week, I also practice in a gym in Rotterdam. They had never seen anyone with a wheelchair before there. ‘Why are you here?’ they asked. ‘Training.’ Now, everyone is used to it. I just participate in everything, body pump, yoga, boxing. And if I cannot carry out an exercise, then I think of something else. Boxing practice is so much fun. Pushing your limits for one hour. And keep on thinking, even when you just can’t do more. Left, right, uppercut. At a certain moment, you just don’t know any more how it is. You must keep on focusing.

I have been an ambassador for several initiatives and foundations to contribute and get as many people as possible into sport. I think that Wings for Life, an initiative active in fundraising for research into paraplegia, is truly a fantastic event. One day every year around the world, people run at exactly the same moment. For instance, we start at one o’clock in the afternoon in the Netherlands. It is already dark in Australia and they run with a light. The fun part is as well that you don’t register for a particular distance. You start and after half an hour, the finish line starts moving with a moving car. If the car passes you, then you have reached the finish and you are done. This is always Breda in the Netherlands. That was awesome. You had a large screen at the square in the center and you could follow other athletes from all over the world. You felt connected with each other. You can do it via an app now, because the event has lapsed due to COVID-19.

I also feel connected with the Dirk Kuyt Foundation. I have been an ambassador since 2016, and I have recently become a board member. We make sport accessible for people with a disability. When people start to practice sport, it is great that they realize they can do it and start smiling. I think it’s remarkable that I have become a board member. I always thought: If you become a board member, it takes very long before anything happens. And you must be politically correct. These are not my best assets. I am down to earth and straightforward. Hop hop hop, can we just move on?! I started to change my mind a little thanks to the group program International management by TeamNL@work. I know better know what management entails. That’s the reason why I signed up for the NOC*NSF Athletes’ Committee. I was elected in 2022. I am responsible for Communication and Paralympics. I have gained quite some knowledge and experience. I want to give this in return to the sport.”

“It went wrong in 2006. I had a motor cycle accident and sustained paraplegia. The first thing I thought was: If I can continue to practice sport, then I will be all right. Sport is my passion and my life. Before my accident, I did the pole vault at a national level. I was training six days a week. A most wonderful sport. The pole in the hole, the energy that increases, pushing the vaulter over the pole and then… the free fall down. The men’s world record is 6.21 meter. Then you really are in the air for a moment. Great. After my accident, I started to look around which sport I could do and what I liked. I chose wheelchair basketball. Soon, it went quite well. My coach asked: ‘Shall I introduce you to the national team?’ Of course, I don’t say ‘no’. Then I will do everything it takes to be part of it. Bring it on! I went to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Subsequently, I went to London and Rio, where we won the bronze medal on both occasions.

Barbara van Bergen’s Paralympic dream is to be the first Dutch Paralympic athlete who earns a medal at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. The summer has been covered. She won a bronze medal in London and Rio with the Dutch wheelchair basketball team. She did not make it within an inch so far in the snow. Three times, she just did not earn a medal with wheelchair skiing in Beijing. It was a blow to the face, but she goes on. She doesn’t know the word ‘giving up’. At the same time, she is devoted to make sport more accessible for everyone, because sport colors and improves your life.

Barbara van Bergen

“Hop hop hop, can we just move on?!”