Compilers: Frans Hessels, Erik Pennekamp
The founding
"It has been shown," - as reported in the Hoofddorpse Courant of January 8, 1965, "that there is a lively interest in the sport of hockey among schoolchildren, and especially among young people who attend secondary schools outside Hoofddorp."
The founding meeting took place on December 3, 1964, at Van Driel & Van Dorsten on Stationsweg. The board was elected from the fourteen attendees.
Because there wasn't yet a chairman, they decided to call Chief Inspector G. Heeringa at the police station. As soon as he entered the meeting room, everyone congratulated him on becoming chairman of the newly founded hockey club, MHC de Reigers. He was faced with a fait accompli, and so our club had its first chairman.
Gerrit Heeringa is the one who came up with the name Mixed Hockey Club de Reigers. "Mixed" was because there were still a few clubs at the time that weren't mixed-race, and "Reigers" because our first chairman had a stuffed heron at his workplace at the police station, which he donated to the club.
Later the following was written about this early period in the club magazine Kreigertje:
“So Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, that was roughly the situation in December 1964, a deed of incorporation: no money, no playing field, no club building, in fact no members, no name, no club colours, in fact just an idea”.
The club was given a practice area on the ETO football club's pitch at the Concours grounds. We were allowed to use the ice skating club's building as a changing room. This spot is now the parking lot behind the De Meerse theatre.
Later in the year, the coaches came from our own ranks: KH Ledeboer and A. van der Sluys, who led training sessions every Saturday at 2:00 PM. These training sessions were particularly well-attended by the women. Everyone who joined immediately played for the first team.
Since there was no competition in the first year, registration fees were charged.
Aspirants (12 to 13 years) f. 5,-- Seniors (> 18 years) f. 10,--
Juniors (14 to 17 years) f. 7.50 Donors f. 5.00
From 1966 onwards the contribution was:
Senior members f. 60,-- per year
Junior members (12 – 18 years) €30 per year
In the 1965/1966 season the club had four teams, which only played friendly away matches.
1 women's senior team
1 girls team (12 to 15 years)
1 men's senior team
1 boys team (12 to 15 years)
In those days, it was still common practice to select new members by ballot. The prospective player first had to appear before the selection committee (the board), which then decided whether the person could be admitted. Goalkeeper Ledeboer was selected, but when it turned out he had played at a high level for another club, he was immediately accepted.
Meanwhile, the board had received the municipality's full cooperation in obtaining residency. The school sports fields at Plan-Eyken (current location) were to be available to the Reigers in September 1966.
In September 1966, the Reigers began their first league season on the grounds of Koning Willem Ilaan (now Wieger Bruinlaan) with four teams: women, men, boys, and girls (ages 12 to 15). It wasn't until 1968 that a boys' A1 team was established.
There was no changing room yet, which was a requirement to participate in the competition.
The municipality granted us permission to use the municipal funds as changing rooms for the men's and women's teams. The changing room problem was also solved by placing a plank over the ditch, allowing players to change at the Arnoldushoeve (a farmhouse on the site of the current blue field).
Initially, our senior teams played in the subdivision, because this was required by the KNHB for a starting club.
Because the community at that time was still strictly Reformed, the teams were not allowed to play before eleven o'clock on Sundays, before the church service had ended.
The hockey club's early years were a lively affair, a welcome outlet in the Protestant Hoofddorp community. While there wasn't a liquor license yet, a bottle of Bokma (not to be confused with our future chairman) could often be found behind the bar. Even back then, there were fantastic parties.
On 10 June 1966, the statutes were approved by Royal Decree, which was published in the Government Gazette on 16 August 1966, so that the MHC de Reigers became a legally valid association.
In the 1966/1967 season, both the first women's and men's teams narrowly missed out on becoming champions.
However, the board of the Hockey Association decided to promote both teams to the first division of the subdivision.
On August 5, 1966, the city council approved the mayor and aldermen's proposal to guarantee the timely payment of interest and principal on a loan of 20,000 guilders for the construction of changing rooms. This loan placed our young club in dire straits. Negotiations with the Dutch Sports Federation were underway to secure further financial support. In 1967, our club received 5,500 guilders from the NSF.
1967
The club wanted to hire Frans Mahn, who had become known as a cycling coach, as its new trainer. He would receive 25 guilders for an hour and a half of training. After careful consideration, it was decided this was not possible, as they did not want to pass on the "high costs" to the members.
On May 30, 1967, at 3:00 PM, the clubhouse was opened by Mayor F.Th. Dijckmeester, who had a strong interest in hockey. The clubhouse was named "het Reigernest" (The Heron's Nest). This first clubhouse stood where field 2 is now, between the dugouts.
The Heron costume (written with a c in the minutes) needs more attention. With too many members, this isn't yet in order. We participated in the Toto; the club earned money from that.
On December 2, 1967, there was a party evening with a kale meal at the De Landbouw hotel, where the RaboBank is now located on the Hoofdvaart canal, and which was run by two enthusiastic ladies, who allowed almost anything.
That afternoon, Sinterklaas came to visit the youngest children (up to 8 years old) of members and donors. For the first time, that role was reserved for Mr. Heeringa, and soon after, for many years to come, it was Mr. Van den Biggelaar.
1968
The women's team won the championship, and the men's team finished in second place. Both teams were promoted from the first division of the KNHB to the fourth division.
In April 1968 the boys juniors became champions in their division.
The veterans will be entered into the competition, as well as a second women's team.
Too many balls are being hit away, which aren't being searched for. The board inquires about raising the edges of the fields. It is requested that balls be kept separate for the competition. The equipment commissioner must select good balls and repaint them. At that time, the cost was 6 guilders per ball.
Work is underway on the women's clothing; there's still not enough fabric for the overalls, which are made by the club's own ladies. A stencil machine was purchased for 150 guilders. The clubhouse needed to be cleaned regularly. A housekeeping service was established, run by mothers (even before the feminist wave).
Hans H. Leenders becomes the newly elected chairman, after Mr. G. Heeringa withdrew from this position.
New rules of the game in 1968
1. The center push is replaced by a push, as in indoor hockey.
2. The roll-in has been replaced by a "hit-in", a free hit on the sideline.
3. The corner shots now both become "American": no more than six defenders behind the goal line and the remaining five behind the halfway line.
4. The penalty corner has an additional complication: only the goalkeeper is allowed to stand in the goal, while the other five defenders behind the goal line must line up on the opposite side of the goal from where the ball is passed, as in indoor hockey.
1969
A practice goal and a regular goal will be purchased at the municipality's expense.
There appears to be a significant influx of prospective members.
On Queen's Day, a tournament was organized for the third time, which from then on was called the "Pieter van Driel Tournament." Seven men's and six women's teams participated. On Ascension Day, we organized a large junior tournament.
There were plans to expand the canteen. This time, we received 3,000 guilders in financial support from the Dutch Sports Federation. A temporary guarantee from several members was provided until the municipal guarantee was finalized.
Later that year, the Cooperative Raifeisenbank in Hoofddorp granted a loan of NLG 6,000, secured by a guarantee of interest and repayments from the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The loan term was 20 years. Interest was 8%, payable semi-annually.
After permission was obtained from Public Works to relocate the pipes under the clubhouse, the renovated version of the first clubhouse was opened on September 27, 1969, by two young Reiger players.
The aspiring girls' team is participating in the competition for the first time.
The liquor license is obtained.
Inquiries have been made about the cost of lighting (2,000 guilders). Given the financial situation, this cannot be achieved for the time being. Therefore, Friday evening training sessions cannot take place for the time being. The treasurer is writing letters to members and donors to raise funds for the purchase of a lighting system as a first-anniversary gift.
The selection of new members is still underway. The chairman explains that the introduction of VAT has increased the price of beer. The Men's I team has been fined for the fourth time for not completing or submitting their match form on time, and the team will pay a fine of 10 guilders. Consideration is being given to opening the canteen occasionally during the winter season for bridge and bingo evenings.
1970
Donations from (former) members for the lighting installation amounted to fl. 115.00.
The KNHB (Royal Dutch Football Association) now requires veterans to be 35 years old. Everyone agrees in principle with rejuvenating the squads, but one other requirement remains difficult to achieve.
Discussions appear to be underway between Tennisvereniging Hoofddorp and MHC de Reigers about a joint future.
In June of that year, Theo Claassen succeeded Hans Leenders as chairman of the Reigers. The club now has 115 members, who come not only from Hoofddorp but also from surrounding towns such as Nieuw Vennep, Badhoevedorp, Heemstede, and Amstelveen.
The games were played on two natural grass fields, which were maintained by the municipality.
A 15-meter-high lighting system will be installed in the practice area (the sheltered housing units are currently located there). The bond loan was fully subscribed by members, donors, and advertisers from the club magazine. However, this bond loan was never repaid! "We have the best complex in all of North Holland," said chairman Claassen.
In the 1970/1971 season, De Reigers entered ten teams; our first teams played in the 4th division of the national association. Hiring a permanent coach was still too expensive. Dick vd Sluys took care of the match preparations. The youth team was coached by a few older members.
In the early 1970s, parties were held in the bunker at the mill in Pax, in the Silo in Graan voor Visch and once in the Vespohal (indoor hockey tournament for the entire club) in Nieuw Vennep.
1971
Indoor hockey was played intensively for years. Playing times were often inconvenient, as sometimes after a game, people had to wait two hours before the next one could start. On a few occasions, the hall manager turned off the lights late in the evening during a game.
Ms. Poelmans didn't have a car and was picked up and taken back to every training session from Beethovenstraat in Amsterdam, where she lived.
1973
A second girls' junior team will participate in the competition.
1974
One of the highlights of the 40th anniversary was the three-day trip to the Thanet Hockey Festival in Ramsgate, England. This was the largest hockey event in the world; some 200 teams from Europe, India, Pakistan, and Australia competed. Two teams from our club, comprising a total of around thirty men and women, participated in the tournament. A luxurious dinner was held in the evening. The tournament also included a mini-trip to sunny London with twelve Herons, two Ugly Ducklings, and a real car.
1976
The club had 152 members. Eleven teams participated in the competition. There were a large number of registrations, particularly in the D and E categories (ages 6-9). However, last season, a senior women's team had withdrawn due to the poor facilities (clubhouse).
1977
Due to an improved goal average, our first men's team was promoted from the 4th division to the 3rd division.
An application for a municipal guarantee for a loan of NLG 150,000 was rejected. The board was seriously concerned. The quality of the changing rooms in the first enlarged clubhouse could not be postponed any longer. Now that our club had been promoted to the 3rd division and the expected growth in membership, a third natural grass field was also essential. However, it would take until 1983 before this was realized.
1979
On Saturday, September 1, 1979, in the third lustrum year, the new second clubhouse was opened with great ceremony. Mrs. Beazeley-Floors, co-founder of our club, unveiled the fitting name, "het Reigersnest" (The Reigersnest), which had already been given to the first clubhouse in 1967.
In the afternoon, despite strong winds, three parachutists from the Icarus parachute club in Loosdrecht landed with great precision at the Reiger complex. Only the sole female jumper encountered some difficulty. She drifted slightly and nearly landed in a tree, but this emergency landing was narrowly averted.
Treasurer Ad de Groot had been the driving force behind the construction activities. Money was raised by holding a candle drive. In addition, juniors, under the supervision of their coaches, collected old newspapers and delivered them to the club in buckets. The price was 0.25 guilders per kg.
In his overview of the construction of our new clubhouse, our treasurer says that everything that could go wrong did go wrong: panels were installed incorrectly, the ditch wasn't filled in properly, etc. These factors caused the construction costs to escalate.
Within the association, voices have been raised in favour of establishing a Cricket department.
In the 1970s, it was a tradition to hold a School Sports Day during the fall holidays, which also served as a membership recruitment drive, to introduce high school students from Hoofddorp to hockey.
1979/1980
That year, the training activities were supervised by Roeland Oltmans, then a premier league player at Pinoké, who had just obtained his coaching diploma. (He later became coach of the Dutch National Hockey Team.) It was also during these years that El van der Wees (known for her beautiful handwriting) became secretary.
Eighties
In the 1980s, Godfried Korstjens and Erik Pennekamp (under the pseudonyms Urmul and Harlekijn, respectively) were the regular writers for the newspaper, which was delivered weekly to members' homes. The 1988 issue of "Kerst Kreigertje" was the literary highlight.
In the summer of 1981, a number of ladies and gentlemen Reigers went to a tournament in Deauville, Belgium. There was a dinner in a condemned shed, where the benches were too hard and the tables too low, but where the food was so incredibly delicious and the hospitality great.
There were also tournaments in La Baule (1980) in Brittany and we went about five times to the unrivaled tournament in Mol (Belgium).
Until 1983, we had two natural grass fields; a third was added in 1983. Previously, lines had to be drawn on the grass field. That wasn't easy.
Looking behind you, the line wasn't always straight. Initially, this was done with an old cart filled with chalk. Sometimes the cart would tip over, resulting in a large chalk pile. Other duties at the club included drawing lines, setting up goals, checking the nets, and raising the club flag.
On May 25, 1982, our Women's I team won 4-0 away at Rijnsoever. For the first time since its inception, our first women's team moved up to the 3rd division. Before the match, the cows had to be chased from the field.
By then, the phenomenon of artificial turf had become well-known. A campaign was launched, imaginarily dividing the artificial turf into 3,010 equal pieces. Each piece was offered for sale to members and sponsors for 25 guilders.
In December 1985, a special "Artificial Grass Kreigertje" was released. Until then, we had three natural grass fields and, for training, an undrained—and therefore usually wet—practice area (41 x 46 meters) and the poorly drained ice rink area (now the athletics club). There was a great need for an additional grass field.
On Saturday, May 23, 1987, the artificial turf field, constructed by a construction consortium of Heidemij and Verom, was officially opened by alderman Taco Cnossen. This project was realized with the extensive cooperation of businesses, municipal agencies, and the dedication of our members. The field cost 500,000 guilders.
That same year (1987), the first men's team became champions and were automatically promoted to the 2nd division district. The championship match was won quite easily, 5-1, against Uitgeest on the new artificial turf pitch.
In September 1987, we installed a floodlight system on the pitches, so that training and playing could also take place on our own grounds in the evenings.
A group of recreational hockey players was also approached (often parents of children who play hockey), who could be active on Monday evenings without the obligation to play a match every week.
During the club's 25th anniversary celebration, alderman Cnossen unveiled the new logo. A new flag bearing this logo was hoisted atop the mast. The chairman pointed out that the Reigers faced stiff competition from 23 neighboring hockey clubs.
There were also setbacks in 1989. Part of the light pole was stolen (15,000 guilders in damage), part of the ball trap was destroyed (8,500 guilders in damage), and there was considerable trouble with the hot water supply.
The clubhouse appears to be in a deplorable state. The floors are rotten, and the heating pipes are rusted through.
nineties
In those years, Fieke Hoytema gave tennis lessons on the artificial turf field during the summer. Company hockey matches were regularly played on our fields.
Our secretary called the municipal pest control service to report that rats had taken up residence in the "Reigersnest."
1992
In the 1991/1992 season, our first men's team finished second in the 2nd division, along with Fit. They won the promotion match with a last-minute goal.
The fields and clubhouse were still in a deplorable state.
But despite all this misery, it was always “pleasure” at the club as usual.
1993
As a result of an administrative crisis in 1993, the interim management committee "keep them flying" chaired by Alex van der Klei managed current administrative affairs for six months.
In 1993, the municipality guaranteed a loan of 240,000 guilders for the construction of a second artificial turf field. Only the SGP faction voted against it on principle. Six poplars had to be felled. Once again, the Heidemaatschappij (Heathland Society) carried out the work. After several weeks of digging, applying a new layer of sand, erecting the light poles, and installing a special spring layer, the time had come. The official opening took place on Saturday, October 30, 1993.
At that time, the "sports climate" in the municipality wasn't very good. At the initiative of the then-board, a decision was made to establish a Hoofddorp Sports Council together with several other associations.
During these years the number of youth members increased significantly.
1997
The board had already submitted a building plan in 1990. This ultimately led to a final building permit application in 1996, just in time, given the deplorable condition of the clubhouse. Various plans were considered, ranging from very luxurious to very basic. Ultimately, a spacious but simple clubhouse built with a timber frame construction was chosen. The cost was NLG 680,000 (€310,000).
Due to the late completion of the clubhouse (December instead of September) – partly caused by delivery problems with building materials – the club is losing thousands of guilders in bar revenue.
The new clubhouse was based on a Scandinavian design and had to be a log cabin, as the municipality required it to be demountable, otherwise a building permit would not be obtained.
Our pride and joy is the kitchen; a similar space with such equipment is hard to find at any other club.
Currently, all artificial turf fields belong to the municipality; the dugouts, lighting, and clubhouse belong to our club.
From 1997 to 1999, cozy mussel evenings were held in our new clubhouse.
21st century
The third artificial turf pitch was opened on October 13, 2001. The highlight was a match against the Batavieren.
The November 25th issue of Kreigertje announced that Kreigertje would be disappearing. More and more members are using the website.
2006-2008
The association is becoming more professional. The bar is being leased out, among other things.
2009
The relationship with the municipality is good. Under the leadership of Erik Klein Nagelvoort (project manager), two fields are being replaced in 2009. Field 1 becomes a true semi-water-based field. And the top layer of field 2 is being replaced. A beautiful sight thanks to excellent cooperation with the municipality. The weather is somewhat unfavorable during construction, so the start of the season requires a lot of effort. The foundation for a higher technical level has been laid.
Raoul Grevenstuk becomes the association's first technical manager.
2010
The 2010/2011 season was a very positive one for sports. MHC De Reigers experienced many highlights, including a substantial number of championships. The men's first team secured promotion to the first division. A unique run, from 3rd to 2nd to 1st in three years under the leadership of Raoul Grevenstuk (Coach) and Angelique Wiltschek (Manager). The women's first team extended their stay in the second division. The women's second team was promoted to the reserve first division.
2011
Construction of the new blue water field began in the summer of 2011. A unique field for the club, and also in the Netherlands, thanks to the cooperation and investment of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The field has the same characteristics as the one that will be used for the 2012 London Olympics. Furthermore, the field is equipped with sustainable LED lighting and a rainwater collection tank (Waber system) beneath the field, allowing two fields to be irrigated.
The Men's 1 team plays in the First Division, and the Women's 1 team plays in the Second Division. Reigers Men's 1 team was named Sports Team of the Year in De Haarlemmermeer. The team's impressive achievement of rising from 3-2 to 1st Division in three years, along with their dedication to the club, has earned them this recognition in the municipality.
The highlight was the national championship for the Boys D1 team, both on the field and indoors. It was the first time in the club's history that a team had become national champion.
2012
On Wednesday, March 21, 2012, the Netherlands' top hockey talents visited De Reigers! After a training session, a match between De Reigers Men's 1 and Netherlands A (boys under 18) followed. Several Hoofdklasse players play in the Netherlands A team, including former De Reigers member Dennis Warmerdam. A crowd of 500 spectators attended the match.
On May 1, 2012, the national men's team played a friendly against South Korea in preparation for the London Olympics. Since London plays on an identical blue water-based pitch, the teams wanted to practice on one of the five blue pitches in the Netherlands. On May 1, this fourth pitch was also officially opened by Alderman for Sports Michel Bezuijen, Ruud van Hecke (Rabobank), and Erik Klein Nagelvoort (Chairman). Remarkably, even the Korean Ambassador and his entourage attended the match. The Dutch national team and the Korean team had been training regularly on the pitch the week before. A remarkable 45 volunteers performed a remarkable feat in five weeks by setting up a dedicated promotional village and stands. The match attracted 2,500 visitors to Haarlemmermeer.
A committee presented a plan to create a multifunctional clubhouse, including a chiropractor, homework support, athletics, and more storage space. The plan was shelved due to the uncertain economic climate, the uncertainty surrounding continued membership growth, and the uncertainty surrounding the location, combined with the significant financial burden.
The D1 boys team receives the audience award during the Haarlemmermeer municipality's top sports gala.
The men's first team, coached by Ferry Verbruggen, continues its season in the first division. The women's first team continues its season in the second division, led by Wouter Bernsen (coach) and Michael ter Veen (manager).
2013
The "Reiger Hockey Dome" opens. A real indoor hockey floor has been installed in the Healthcity tennis hall. Hockey was played on it with great enjoyment last winter. This unique project means that most youth teams can now train and play matches in their own hall just around the corner. This has also led to excellent performances by the youth teams (the D youth team won the national championship and the C youth team won the district championship) and the Men's 1 team (champion).
In addition, the bar is being taken back under its own management. The association has now grown so much that someone has been hired to manage the bar and has assembled a professional team.
The coaching staff has also been further professionalised with more paid coaches and a training programme for our own youth.
The clubhouse is getting a facelift and will be beautifully painted and refurbished on the inside.
The men's first team plays in the First Division (coach Ferry Verbruggen, manager Elsbeth Dankelman). The women's first team narrowly missed out on a place in the First Division and remained in the Second Division (coach Jeroen Mahadew, trainer Willem Jan Oosterhof, manager Ren van Geldorp). The youth team is performing well again. The Juniors 1 and Juniors 1 play for district championships indoors. The Juniors 1 team competes in the finals of the national Super B competition and finishes 6th.
The association has now grown to 970 members.
Forty years of chairing MHC de Reigers
1964/1967 Gerrit Heeringa †
1967/1970 Hans Leenders †
1970/1974 Theo Claassen †
1974/1975 Chris Steenkamer
1975/1977 Rutger Jan Leeuwens
1977/1980 Leo Bokma †
1980/1981 Jan Willem Gast
1981/1985 Leo Bokma†
1985/1986 Floris van Driel
1986/1988 Gerard de Vrey
1988/1990 Kees Coster †
1990/1993 John van Diesen
1993/1994 Ton van Rossum
1994 1995 Alex van der Klei (chairman comm. Keep them flying)
1994//1997 Evert Boer
1997/1999 Bart de Regt †
1999/2001 Gerard Franken
2001/2002 No chairman (Bart de Regt † ai)
2002/2005 Han van Leeuwen
2005/2006 Rob Hartnack
2006/2011 Ger de Bruyn
2011/2016 Erik Klein Nagelvoort
2016-Present Erwin Leferink
