Champion volunteers at Marveld Tournament

3 June 2023

On Monday, they departed, followed by seven buses filled with supporters, heading to Didam for the championship match against Grol 1. Just under a week later, as proud champions, they are now dedicating their time as volunteers at the Marveld Tournament.

It has been an incredible week for Mick Wissink, Tycho Riteco, and Mike Kempers. They joyfully share stories about the championship and the events surrounding it. It all began with the week leading up to the match, during which the entire town of Groenlo expressed their support and well wishes for Whit Monday. The men didn’t feel overly tense before the match: “The fact that the crowd was already there before the warm-up began was absolutely fantastic!” Tycho recalls. “Any remaining tension disappeared completely because of that.” The match itself may not have been of the highest quality, “but we were the better team on the pitch.” After the 1-0 lead, DVC seemed to increase their urgency and put more pressure on, resulting in a 1-1 score before halftime. “In the second half, our own performance declined, which put a fair amount of pressure on us, but when Tycho scored the 1-2, we knew we had it in the bag,” Mick asserts. “That was truly the best moment. We celebrated the 1-2 goal together with the crowd. At that point, we knew we couldn’t go wrong anymore.”

After the final whistle, the celebration continued nonstop. First on the field, then in the locker room and on the bus. “When we arrived at the sports park, we were greeted with fireworks. It was super cool!” Mike reminisces. “Later, we gathered at the sports park’s canteen with many supporters, and then at Frielink’s.” “And on Monday morning, the party continued. We had breakfast at Wouter Pillen’s, with a beer!” Tycho laughs. “We had a day filled with fun activities together, including bowling at Marveld, and, of course, the tribute at the town hall in Groenlo in the evening.”

During the sponsor evening of the Marveld Tournament, the gentlemen were once again honored. And now, they are actively participating as volunteers at the Marveld Tournament, working with the sideline activities team. Their responsibilities include entrance control, supervising the Marveld Arena, overseeing the sideline activities, handling various tasks, and cleaning up the park after the matches. In short, a wide range of duties. “Since the onset of the pandemic, we have been doing this, and it’s incredibly enjoyable. The tasks are diverse, and we can combine our work with watching some great football in between. Moreover, it’s a fantastic group of people. For instance, some of us even started a pool, so Tycho soon found himself cheering for Red Bull Bragantino,” the gentlemen explain. And, of course, they emphasize the importance of the camaraderie that is an integral part of the Marveld Tournament.