Meet Dennis Schon, a 28 year old from Amsterdam who is the most recent volunteer to have joined us at HBUFC.
“I have always had a connection with South Africa. I love Kwaito music and my mom even makes babotie (a traditional Cape Malay dish) back home, so it’s always been a plan of mine to come. I arrived at HBUFC during the middle of the Elite Ladies Sasol League season, and I quickly realised that the strength and conditioning of the team was lacking. I have a background in coaching and I am a personal trainer in Amsterdam, so I decided to create a strength and conditioning programme for them to follow. The programme provides reasons for doing each exercise and includes demonstrations. As I got going, Asakhele (the ladies goalkeeper coach) asked if I could include some keeper specific movements to the programme, as well as some recovery and injury prevention exercises. Anyone can access the programme here: ”
I started to take on more responsibilities within the organisation and began working with coach X (Xolela Ndude) as an assistant coach for his U16 team. I would help him out in sessions, have 1 on 1’s with players and try to provide any insight I had, while also learning from him.
When the Elite Men’s preseason started I was given the opportunity to help the coaches and the team out by being around and assisting on the field whenever they needed. I found these sessions really inspiring as they were conducted with so much professionalism. Seeing the day to day lives of the players and coaches, and just how much work and detail goes into their session plans was amazing to see. Maybe don’t tell them this but I will definitely be stealing a few of their session plans for when I’m back home in Amsterdam!
Next, I am going to Namibia to complete my UEFA C, then I will begin working as an assistant coach for an U16 team in the second division of Dutch youth football.
Dennis added great value during his time with HBUFC and we know he is well on his way to achieving amazing things in football.
