Our latest Dutch korfball coach, joining the Mixx community to spread the word and raise the level

A recent addition to the Mixx community, Pim Veenendaal brings a lifetime of korfball to Christchurch. By one measure, three generations in our sport.

Pim’s first korfball memories are of playing with the ‘Kangaroos,’ the nickname for the youngest korfballers at the club.

Pim will be in Christchurch for the rest of the year, fitting in and making himself useful with all Mixx activities. He also has his own special mission: to assist in the development of coaches and referees.

Pim was born and grew up in the town of Woudenberg half an hour east of Utrecht in the centre of the Netherlands, where his parents Hans and Sandra met playing korfball for the local club KV Woudenberg. Truus, Pim’s father’s mother, also played korfball.

Anyone familiar with the Mixx story knows that Woudenberg is also the hometown and boyhood korfball club of Mixx’s own Torsten Ball, not to mention our mastercoach from 2024 Daan van der Klis.

KV Woudenberg is a mid-level club in the Netherlands.

“We have around 320 members, and the first team plays in the first class, which is three levels below the top division.

“Many of my friendships are through the korfball club. That’s how it works. It’s a community, and we all feel the spirit of korfball: young and old, boys and girls,” he says.

Pim and Torsten both started korfball at KV Woudenberg as four-year-old Kangaroos. Torsten, a few years older, coached Pim’s junior team for a couple of years.

Late last year Pim decided to follow Torsten on a global korfball adventure.

“From the Netherlands, thinking about people in other countries playing ‘our’ sport is intriguing. I quit my job to come to New Zealand and check out what Torsten had been telling me about.

“What I’ve seen has impressed me. There is so much talent here. Korfball in Christchurch just needs the systems to make the most of that potential. Improving the coaching knowledge within the Mixx community is my goal while I’m here. Most likely the benefits will begin to become obvious in two or three years,” he says.

Although Pim is qualified as a referee and has officiated up to U19 level in the Netherlands, he began coaching at age 15 and sees himself primarily as a coach.

“I’m happy to referee to help the club. Coaching is my real passion,” he says.

He is one of the youngest ever to have achieved KT3, the second highest coaching qualification in Dutch korfball, which Pim passed as a 20 year-old. He has coached at most of the junior levels with Woudenberg. He also serves on the board of the club, chairing the public relations subcommittee.

“Every year Woudenberg has one big day with local schools, running a tournament where they all send teams. Coming to New Zealand and straight into the Koru Games korfball tournament, almost as soon as I got off the plane, I felt right at home,” he says.

Coming through the age grades, as a player Pim was in each of the club’s top age group teams. He has played in the Woudenberg second team for the past seven years.

So what can the Mixx community look forward to as Pim shapes the future of our coaching development programmes?

“As a trainer, through implicit korfball exercises and by asking questions I try to help players become self-aware and critical. As a coach, I’m quite direct and to the point, and I enjoy analysing opponents to adjust our gameplay accordingly.

“The focus is on players: my aim is to create self-aware, critical players, both in games and in training. When that happens, players are better able to read the game and adjust their playing style when necessary.”

Outside korfball, after finishing school Pim did a four-year degree course at university in Utrecht. Qualifying as a teacher, for two years he taught social studies and history at two different high schools near Utrecht, before embarking on his big trip to New Zealand.

Pim will be around until just after Christmas. He’s always good for a chat, especially about korfball.