Friday - departure day
The weekend started early with their journey on Friday March 30. At 6.15 the luxurious coach of Pouw vervoer was loaded with bags, food and beverages and off course the players and their followers and at 6.45 they departed for Gillingham, Engeland. The journey was prosperous, also due to the fact that bus driver Jeffrey took the tunnel at Antwerp to avoid a 1,5 hour traffic jam. Perfectly on time they reached Calais to hop on the train through the Euro tunnel, different from previous years (normally they cross the Chanel by boat).
Once in England they immediately were treated to "English weather": constantly pooring rain. Despite that, an hour later they were warm and kindly welcomed by their Thamesview friends. After shaking hands and hugging old friends and new acquaintances they were presented delicious food. Very special, because the English made it themselves. It was not only the spices and ingredients that gave good taste to the food, but especially the love that was put into it whilst prepairing was clearly tasted and appreciated.
After matching the players with the host families en presenting the carefully and richly filled goodie bags, the parents said goodbye to their children and were brought to the King Charles hotel for checking in.
Also the hotel was perfectly good prepaired for the coming of their Dutch guests and in no time everybody had decorated their room. The evening was free to spend and some of the travellers used that time to explore Gillingham. Many restaurants and pubs found their way into google maps favorites.
Saturday- activity day
On Saturday March 31 paintball was planned. The players were dropped off at the hotel by the host families and the bus went to Mayhem Paintball Games. After receiving instructions overalls, safety goggles and team colors the party started. Battles were fought between the red and the blue team like "capture the flag", "team deathmatch", "last man standing" and other variants. Other than in Fortnight you could not revive, use med-kits or slurps. And also other than on the X-box, PC or Play-station you could get nasty bumps or bruises, wich ocasionally occurred. Despite that it was an entertaining day of which the children enjoyed visibly.
The evening was "off", the players were taken by their host families. Most of them enjoyed several activities, like laser gaming, eating out or playing games.
The hotel guests already flew out that morning, mostly to London and enjoyed themselves with sight seeing, walking, shopping, visiting musea and drinking coffee somewhere. The larger part of the group also had diner there. At different times they reported back to the hotel for a well deserved good nights rest.
Sunday - tournament day
Sunday April 1st was "MATCHDAY", the day of the football tournament. From the hotel the coach left with the hotelguests to Playfootball where the players and their host parents were waiting on their arrival.
The schedule was found in a beautiful composed booklet in two languages and after changing into the football kits the matches finally started.
The U12 team kicked off and unfortunately lost their first poule match against Medway United, unexpectedly with 1-0. Probably they were not awake yet. The U13 started their first poule match against Strood 87 with a 0-0 draw. The tension was of, the players were used to the pitch now and after a short break the second round in the poule became promising with two wins. The U12 won their extremely exiting match against Omega with 3-2, in which Ricky (2) and Jabril scored the goals on Dutch side. The U13 went to town on Anchorians Tigers. With phenomenal field play, probably the best football they played this season, the three points were ganined by beating their opponent with 5-1. Finn opened the score, Thies scored two times, Zilas put in the last one and in between birthday boy Andy gave himself the birthday present he had been dreaming of the whole week.
The last poule matches were against Thamesview, the matches that mattered for the exchange cup. The U12 had to play against a battered home team, who also had a lack of players. For that reason Bennie volunteerd to wear the opponents red shirt to sportively ensure that there would be enough opposition. At a 4-0 score for OSM'75 (with a goal by Tygo and a hattrick by Jabril) Bennie almost succeeded to score the honorary goal, after a magnificent rush, but goalie Sandro prevented him from doing so. Bennie playing along and his great effort for the host team was praised by the English.
The U13 had a far more difficult match aginst the Thamesview U13, who enormously grew in quality the last year. Therefore, justly, the home team opened the score. OSM'75 however showed flexibility en re-grouped themselves well. Slowely but surely the pressure was increased. These efforts were rewarded right before full time with a truely maginificent shot by Ayman, that ended in the upper corner of the goal. A fair result for an equally blanced match. With this, Thamesview won the poule, but still had to be explained why the exchange cup, after a two year absence, will be placed on the trophy shelve of the Maarssen team again.
According the tradition the veterans match was planned last of the day. The Barry Griffiths Veterans cup, brought from Maarssen, had to be defended. Already15 minutes after the match ended the match report was placed on the OSM'75 FaceBook page. Here the translation of that report:
"Just now the veterans team of OSM'75 did not succeed in retaining the Barry Griffiths cup in Gillingham (Kent). After a 1-1- draw at full time, Thamesview FC drew the longest stick after a series of exiting penalties.
From the start Thamesview FC had the better of the game. The English created more opportunities then OSM'75 and justly opened the score after a previous goal was disapproved because of off side.
With only two minutes remaining Jacques van Schalkwijk however scored the equalizer from an almost impossible angle after magnificent peparation by Ramon Stofmeel who perfectly passsed the ball to the OSM'75 youth chairman.
In the penalty series OSM took the lead by Rick van Riet, Ramon Stofmeel and Alexander de Mol. Smail el Hafian missed the first penalty gemist. Jacques van Schalkwijk could safeguard the Barry Griffiths Cup with the last and decisive shot, but unfortunately the man who won the penalty series missed deplorably. A case of "from hero to zero".
Eventually Thamesview FC were the lucky ones after an exiting series of penalties, loudly cheered by the following fans. Next year in Maarssen there will be a new chance for the OSM'75 old-timers"
Right after the tournament had finished the players and their host families left and the hotel guests rushed back to the hotel for a quick bite and a shower, because the end party was about to begin at 19.00. And what a feast it would become!!
With music, dance and other pleasures it was obvious that after 32 years the warm and kind friendship between Thamesview FC and OSM'75 was not only still present, but seemed to have grown stronger every year.
After saying thanks to all involved at the presentation and presenting the medals and cups this friendship was celebrated exuberantly whith toasting with a drink (or two).
At 23.00 the party ended with the tradtionally community singing of "You never walk alone" by Gerry & the Pacemakers. A fantastic ending of a fantastisch weekend.
After arriving at the hotel a small group of die-hards, once finishing the last beer stock in the hotel, hiked to the only pub in Gillingham that was still open. Fortunately they early arrived back at the hotel. Early in the morning that is.
Monday - goodbye day
After breakfast one by one the players and their host families arrived at the hotel and the definitive family reunion was a fact. Perfectly on time the bus took off, but not after emotionally saying farewell to the hosts, where many tears were shed.
The journey back Maarssenbroek also was prosperous, they even took a train earlier to cross the Chanel, and at 17.00 local time everybody left to their own home and own bed exhausted, but saisfied. Reading reactions on WhatsApp, FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat we can say they experienced a succesfull trip of which they will reminisce for a long time.
Word of ending
Many photographs were taken. It would be nice to have them available for everybody. If wanted you can email photo's to [email protected] (also via WeTransfer), so we can link them all to our website.
An event like this can only succeed with the effort of a number of volunteers and sponsors.
From Dutch side we therefore would like to thank SportOpvang Maarssen, Bas Haarstudio, Jeffrey Verhoeven fotografie and Timmerbedrijf P. Nieuwkerk for their financial contributions,
Hoogvliet, Albert Heijn, VoMar and Jamin for their products,
Danouscha and Miranda for purchasing the bunns for breakfasts and lunches,
Lunchroom Pompidou for putting together the breakfasts and lunches,
Pouw vervoer (and Jeffrey Sterckel) for taking care of a comfortable and safe journey,
Christel, Brigitta and Debby for shopping and compiling the goodie bags,
Marlies, Miranda and Claudia for arranging fruit, drinks and candy,
Bas Grotenhuis for the Marses, Snickers en Twixes,
Christel for packing the OSM caps, that made the Enlish boys very happy,
Jeffrey Verhoeven for taking pictures the whole weekend (we can't wait to see them). We will inform you when and how Jeffrey will have them available,
And finally all travellers who spontaniously helped out during the journey by cleaning the bus and serving food and drinks.
On English side we thank the King Charles hotel for their hospitality and services,
Play Football and Rainham Cricket Club for the use of their facilities,
The catering at PlayFootball (delicious hamburgers!),
Mayhem Paintball Games for an unforgettable activity day,
The referees and other officials who incoporated at the football tournament,
Terry Arnold for the music,
And all others involved organising things.
Our special thanks go to all people who cooked and baked the food. It was magnificent! Maybe a new tradition is born?
Our extra special thanks go to all host families that took care of our children. You did not only opened your house, but also your home for our boys. Fantastic!
And last but not least our extra, extra special thank goes to Dan Humphreys. You and your team succeded to give us, despite all setbacks, an unforgettable weekend and you managed to ensure what this exchange event stands for: Culture, sportivity, but most of all warm friendship. We can't thank you enough for this!
We hope to organize an equally succesful event in 2019 in the Netherlands.
Erwin Wildschut en Jacques van Schalkwijk
PS (on a peronal note): I thank Simons boy for making me strongly feel the urge of keeping the spirit of this event alive as long as I'm able to. A brief moment in life that made a deep impression on me. I hope your wish may come true. Thank you for this! Jacques
