'It has made me the richest trainer in the world'

The sport-wide campaign Onze Club Is Voor Iedereen (Our Club Is For Everyone) draws attention to diversity and inclusion. Perhaps somewhat fashionable terms, but it simply comes down to everyone being welcome. Martial arts have traditionally been very diverse, including in the backgrounds of those who practise them. Even so, there are still opportunities to lower the threshold for new groups. Fighters with a physical or mental disability, for example. In this series we highlight a number of gyms that may inspire others to reach a broader audience as well.

For Dennis Gebbink the adventure began with his son Myron. Since birth, Myron has had brain damage on both sides. As a result he has a mild disability. This made him feel not entirely at home at a regular sports club, but there was no alternative. That is why his father Dennis decided to take the initiative himself.

Phenomenon
Dennis soon noticed that there was a great need to take part in sport among people facing an extra challenge. Building a large organisation was never a preconceived plan, but starting from football with eight boys, Sportclub Only Friends grew into a phenomenon over 25 years. More than 850 athletes with a disability work on their health there, supported by 200 volunteers and 60 interns. One of the 32 sports practised there is kickboxing.

Myron still plays an important role at Only Friends. 'He has come a long way,' says Dennis. 'Myron was the first student with a disability to obtain his diploma at the CIOS sports academy (vocational sports education) in Haarlem, and he made the Paralympic football team. He now teaches groups here himself, we give Parkinson boxing together.'

Kickboxing
Gebbink senior teaches the kickboxing classes himself in his realised dream, the Friendship Sports Centre Amsterdam. As a child in Enkhuizen he only knew football, but when he moved to Amsterdam Noord at the age of ten, he visited a branch of Chakuriki led by top fighter Faysal Karakus, where kickboxing captured his heart. He later trained at Pancration and developed into a teacher. He still trains twice a week himself at Mike's Gym.

'Kickboxing may not be the first sport you think of when you see children or young people on crutches or in an electric wheelchair, but it is simply a matter of tailoring. If a girl is in a wheelchair and is always treated as vulnerable, and now she puts on boxing gloves, you can already see her grow. They feel tough, their self-esteem increases. And even if all they can do is tap the pads, they are moving and developing. For someone else it may be less about the physical side, but at the punching bag we can work on behavioural problems. At the very least they can release their energy.'

'There is no fighting against each other, we punch and kick against punching bags and pads. That way everyone can take part according to their ability. And if they do want to take a step further, and they can control themselves emotionally, they can spar a little with the teachers.'

Satisfaction
What the athletes themselves get out of it is clear, but as a trainer you also get something extra out of working with this group. 'It started with sadness about my own son, because he was limited in taking part in sport. And I know how important sport is, for everyone but certainly for him too. Now that we can offer a very wide range of sports, you also know from your role as a parent what it means for many people. And it still simply moves me to see the athletes at work, regardless of their level. I see children who, so to speak, only move forward five metres in their entire lives, but who take satisfaction and pride from that. Someone else comes in in a wheelchair and can barely tap a ball. But through training he can take a step towards a walker, and later still you see him playing football on crutches. And I see others develop into Paralympic athletes. All of that gives an enormous amount of satisfaction.'

Royal recognition
For his boundless commitment, Gebbink was appointed Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau (Officier in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau) in 2020. As the icing on the cake, in February King Willem-Alexander came to take a look at the kickboxing class himself, in honour of the 25^th anniversary of Only Friends, holding the punching pads while the athletes let loose.

Advice
When asked, Gebbink offers advice to gym owners or CIOS students who are considering offering martial arts to athletes facing an extra challenge. 'Take it seriously. Learn about it and learn about the target group. Do not treat them as pitiful, but let them be kickboxers. Learn to be flexible yourself. Adapt to what is possible. But it is worth it, because the satisfaction is enormous. The love you get back, all the hugs, that is worth more than gold. It has made me the richest trainer in the world.'

Photo: Koninklijk Huis (Royal House)

Earlier in this series:

'Girls Only is not a hype but a necessity'
Our martial arts gym is for everyone
No Limits Gym: 'Inclusion should be self-evident'
Jorina Baars: 'Working with this group challenges me too'