A football club’s responsibility to its city extends far beyond the 90 minutes played on a weekend. Page 30 of the October 2013 matchday programme perfectly illustrates how FC Groningen integrates itself into the civic and educational calendar of the region. The entire Junior Club section is dedicated to the “Herfstvakantie” (Autumn holidays).
When schools close for the week, parents are often left scrambling for ways to keep their children entertained and active. The club steps into this void as a community anchor. The page advertises a series of free or heavily subsidized activities for its young members. For the youngest kids (0-4 years), the club organized a morning of climbing and scrambling at Ballorig Groningen, a massive local indoor playground. For the older kids (from 6 years up), the club hosted dedicated football technique training sessions to develop their skills.
Alongside these civic duties, the club continued its tradition of making dreams come true on the pitch. The programme immortalizes the names of the children chosen to walk out with the players against the mighty PSV: Dylan Dijkema, Patrick Schuiten, Matthijs Prins, David Brouwer, Joey Schut, Lars Keijzer, Rowan Schut, Marth Boer, Thijs de Vries, Dion Beks, and Maarten Darneviel, alongside referee escorts Sem Jansen, Jesper Lokken, and Luuk Pennings.
A Look into the Future
The strategy of embedding the club into the daily lives of families during school holidays is a masterclass in community building. By 2026, the children who spent their 2013 autumn break climbing at Ballorig Groningen or training with club coaches are now young adults. The goodwill generated by these accessible, community-focused events translates directly into lifelong loyalty. The kids listed on this page didn’t just support a football team; they grew up with an institution that actively cared for their development, ensuring the stands of the Euroborg will remain full for generations to come.