Sponsor evening Marveld Tournament
2 June 2023While the players eagerly await the tournament to compete with their peers at the highest level, sponsors and partners of Grol and the Marveldtoernooi look forward to the annual sponsor evening as a prelude to the top youth football three-day tournament. It was already the 14th edition, and this time, the 500 attendees really got into the festive atmosphere of the decorated sports hall. “What happens here every year is unprecedented. You don’t see this anywhere else, and I’ve been to many places,” said Eddy van der Ley, the evening’s host, addressing the packed hall. The proud tournament chairman, Marco Frank, welcomed everyone and then gave the floor to Stan Raben, the brand-new chairman of Grol. Raben opened by acknowledging the ongoing sports hall discussion in the Oost Gelre municipal council, saying, “Where would we be without a sports hall at our sports complex?” He also expressed gratitude for the incredibly loyal sponsors, who remained dedicated during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Raben highlighted the importance of increasing sponsorship funds as the association is in good shape but faces rising costs. Additionally, he listed the impressive sporting successes of Grol teams in the last season, culminating in the championship of Grol 1 in the 2nd Class H last weekend, and the upcoming Achterhoek Cup final on July 1st. Dennis Pasman, representing the football board, invited the champions onto the stage for a standing ovation and a shared celebration with the attendees, marked by the famous longhorn bottle, a symbol of Groenlo.
Guests
Among the guests, Lars Gierveld, a well-known TV-maker born and raised in Grollen, shared his story as a creative entrepreneur. He discussed the creation of juices made from cocoa bean waste, a project born out of his own ingenuity and trial and error. Lars mentioned that while filming a documentary about the cocoa industry, he realized that the juices were being wasted. This led him to develop the juices under the name Kumasi, which are now available in 300 locations across the Netherlands. Lars proudly stated that these juices provide an additional 30 percent income for cocoa farmers, using a waste product. His success was driven by a firm belief and determination to improve farmers’ income, with the support of partners. Lars’s story left a strong impression on the entrepreneurs in the room, and he expressed his immense pride in being able to share his journey on the stage in his own city.
Arnold Bruggink, FC Twente’s newly appointed technical director, gave the audience an insight into his role and responsibilities. He mentioned that becoming a technical director was always his aspiration, and despite having to play in the playoffs against Heerenveen that night, he fulfilled his promise to attend the sponsor evening. Bruggink shared his experience that investing a lot of time in a transfer doesn’t always guarantee success, citing the case of Ruben van Bommel, who chose to move from MVV to AZ Alkmaar instead of joining Enschede. Bruggink also expressed concern for his friend Ruud van Nistelrooij, the coach of PSV, who resigned just before the final league game. He mentioned meeting with van Nistelrooij immediately after hearing the news. Additionally, Sierd de Vos, a football reporter, captivated the audience with his lively storytelling, using words, gestures, and movements. His anecdotes and remarks brought laughter to the room, even causing Arnold Bruggink to shake his head. As a side note, de Vos mentioned that he is still single and jokingly mentioned that after the game, ladies could line up in rows of 12.
Here is the link to the documentary “Made possible by”: https://vimeo.com/409835153.
