Happy New Year

At the beginning of 2014, I would like to wish all korfballers worldwide a very happy, joyful, healthy, and successful new year.

At this new year, I was requested by the Dutch sports opinion and news website SportKnowHowXL to express my wishes and resolutions for 2014, along with about 20 other sports leaders. As I think this may be of interest to the international korfball community, I have translated my text in English and have pasted it below for your enjoyment. As always, I appreciate your responses at jan.fransoo@ikf.org.

Sochi will be at the center of attention in 2014. Rio will be the focus in 2016. Sport at its best in a unique environment: the Olympic Games add something special to the traditional values and magical atmosphere surrounding the Games. This magic in combination with the best performances of the best athletes from around the world give a very special mix which is worthy of our modern Olympic Games. But the question has to be asked; are these 28 disciplines the only sports which we can describe as the best? Is a sport only an elite sport if it is a part of the Olympic Games? And are these disciplines which some consider as elite the same in each and every country?

Wish.

For 2013 I wish that more support for different sports will develop, starting with the Netherlands Olympic Committee. More support for athletes who are specialized in sports which are not necessarily competed in at the Olympic Games.[…]

My New Year’s resolution:

Obviously I will try and give every sport my best tribute. And I will especially focus on korfball; in 2014 we will try and launch a new discipline called Korfball4. Korfball4 consists off a smaller pitch, fewer players, unlimited substitutions and no center line to divide two zones. We move the game from an invisible sports hall to the center square in the city!

It will be a unique concept which offers cities the chance to develop themselves and obtain visibility. Furthermore, korfball4 will connect elite korfball with korfball-for-all. In this year, I will try and accomplish a successful launch of this concept, and hopefully contribute to a further development of korfball.