A football club’s connection with its youngest fans extends far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch. Page 63 of the September 2014 matchday programme highlights how the Junior Club kept kids engaged during the school holidays, while also serving as the official ledger for the matchday mascots against Willem II.
The page enthusiastically announces the upcoming “Herfstvakantie” (Autumn Holiday) activities. Instead of just organizing a standard football clinic, the club planned a trip to the SculpturePark in nearby Zuidlaren to see the largest indoor sand sculptures in the world, followed by an autograph session with the first-team players. It shows a holistic approach to community building, offering families affordable, engaging activities during the school break.
But the most important part of the page is the roster of children who participated in the matchday rituals. Continuing the beautiful (and sometimes heartbreaking) tradition of local kids escorting the visiting team, the line-up was split. Walking out with the FC Groningen players were: Sem Stoffers, Geert Jan Hiddinga, Dylano Soares, Rick Heijes, Wout Paas, Thomas Padje, Carlos Jr. Muitl, Milan Braam, Dennis Soeters, Amber Krul, and Tom Veninga.
The local kids who drew the visiting Willem II players were: Lars van der Heide, Lieke van der Veen, Noah Léon Kodde, Yorick Loer, Joost Zee, Fabienne Carol, Rick Poelstra, Jordy Bartelds, Lara Mathey, Luuk van der Heide, and Jelmer Dijkstra. The referees were escorted by Lars Tuinstra, Koen Garama, and Dylan Adam. Finally, the halftime shootout participants were Joost Blaauwwiekel, Niels Stoffers, Caroline Venema, Jeffrey Sharif van Dijken, Mark Paapst, and Jeroen Brookman.
A Look into the Future
By 2026, the children listed on this page are young adults. The sand sculptures in Zuidlaren have long since washed away, but the memory of standing in the tunnel of the Euroborg, waiting for the roar of the crowd, is permanent. Whether they held the hand of a local hero or a visiting opponent, these 28 kids were the VIPs of the stadium that day. Digitizing their names ensures that their small but vital contribution to the matchday atmosphere is never lost to the archives.