Come learn about Goalball!!!

Only Friends Eindhoven, with the support of Gemeente Eindhoven and Uniek Sporten, organizes open training sessions to get acquainted with Goalball in the sports hall of the Eindhoven International School. Everyone is welcome, the club is specifically aimed at residents of Eindhoven and the surrounding municipalities such as Veldhoven, Eersel, Son, Best, Helmond and the A2 municipalities.

OPEN TRAINING
Target group: Everyone aged 7 to 99 with or without visual impairment.
Date: Saturdays February 24, March 2, March 16 and March 23.
Time: 12.00 - 14.00, walk-in from 11:30.
Location: International School Eindhoven, Oirschotsedijk 14B, 5651 GC Eindhoven, changing rooms available.
Clothing: sportswear, and indoor shoes (indoor).
Participation is free.Contact: registration is desirable, for more information contact Joost van de Kreeke 06-27044689 / info@onlyfriendseindhoven.nl.
Should transportation be a problem, please let us know via Whatsapp or mail.

Tino Martin sings for Only Friends!

It is 'Corona crisis', nobody can avoid it, no matter how much we want to. We don't play sports in a club setting, and even our wonderful members have to entertain themselves at home. How boring this is!!!

None other than Tino Martin, well-known Dutch singer, has decided to sing a song especially for Only Friends! What a wonderful gesture, completely arranged by DJs Bert & Barry, friends of Only Friends. And what is even better: a video clip has been made in which lots of Only Friends stars from all over the Netherlands shine! Watch the video below, and try to spot your acquaintances! Do you see Mosu, Myrthe, Tobias or Samuel? Do you see other heroes of Only Friends?

This kind of initiative makes staying at home a little more pleasant. Thank you very much to everyone who has contributed (and waved!)!!!

PSV Amateur Football - Everton

In the weekend of 21 and 22 December 2019, the PSV Foundation organized a training weekend for the amputee footballers of PSV. As part of the preparations for the cooperation between Only Friends Eindhoven and the PSV Foundation, board members of Only Friends Eindhoven were involved in the organisation of this training weekend.

At the invitation of the PSV Foundation, the amputee footballers of Everton arrived from England, to ensure that the PSV'ers could play two real international matches during the weekend. Only Friends Eindhoven mediated in the accommodation(De Sprinkhaan in Oirschot), and Ron Eskens of SOOW Pictures was present to selflessly make a beautiful photo report.

Only Friends & PSV Foundation 2019

The players of the PSV Amputation team and the players and coaches of Everton were given a tour of the stadium, after which the first of two matches between both teams was played at the PSC Foundation Academy. The kick-off was performed by none other than Erwin Koeman, who gave the youngest amputation footballer (Giano Pool) the opportunity to outsmart the Everton goalkeeper.

Erwin Koeman and Giano Pool kick off.

Unfortunately, PSV's players failed to win both matches, but in front of the cameras of the youth news agency and others, it was clear that progress had been made in the training sessions leading up to this weekend.

PSV and Everton, together with the Only Friends Eindhoven logo.

Kick-off on 23 November 2019

The time had finally come: on 23 November 2019 Only Friends Eindhoven was launched. After a promotional campaign in which 4,000 flyers were handed out at educational institutions in the Eindhoven region and posters were hung up at strategic places in and around Eindhoven, none other than Katja Snoeijs (player PSV Women) and Phoxy, the well-known and beloved PSV mascot, unveiled a shield with the logo of our beautiful club.

After the unveiling of the shield, two enthusiastic girls did a joint warming-up. To the sounds of the Snollebollekes they jumped from left to right, after which all those present could choose from various sports. Seated volleyball was played, of course, the football field was available and in the sports hall children could box, climb walls and take part in goalball, a sport for people with visual impairments.

The day generated beautiful reactions. Parents expressed their satisfaction because there is now finally a place where their children with a disability can go without having to (emotionally) compete with able-bodied children. The joy that radiated from the faces of the participating children was priceless, and the best appreciation we could get.

Watch below an impression of our kick-off, compiled by the people of Studio040. If you are curious after seeing this video, please contact us!

Giano shows Donyell Malen his skills

None other than PSV striker Donyell Malen visited the training of the PSV Amputation Football Team. In this team, that plays under the enthusiastic guidance of the people of the PSV Foundation, 10-year old Giano also has a role.

Giano was born with a brain injury, and in 2019, to make matters worse, part of his left leg also had to be amputated. Giano is a tough guy, though, and he refuses to resign himself to the notion that he will no longer be able to play football. In fact, Giano just wants, like his peers, to become as good as a professional footballer!

Donyell Malen took a look at the training and Giano showed his skills to Donyell, who was then quite impressed.

Our' Tobias shines in television programme

The makers of the television programme AVROTROS ZAPP Sport (NPO 3) approached us with the question of whether we happened to have a star available who could(and would like to...) play a game of football with none other than Arjen Robben, the former PSV player, former player of FC Groningen, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Oh yes: and of the Dutch national team, too...

NOW: we have such a star!

On Monday 21 October 2019, the time had come. In a nice autumn sun Arjen Robben was waiting on one of the football fields of De Herdgang, the beautiful training complex of PSV Football. The moment Tobias, the very first member of Only Friends Eindhoven, entered the field Arjen immediately took care of our young hero. There was enough time for a chat, Tobias told Arjen something about 22q11 (the condition which was diagnosed shortly after birth) and of course there was football.

Arjen Robben listens attentively when Tobias talks about 22q11

Arjen taught Tobias the finer points of dribbling and some matching tricks, and both top players showed their skills in front of the spinning television cameras. With a lot of patience and respect, the former PSV player tried to improve Tobias' skills. After this private training, Tobias handed Arjen a booklet with information about his condition. A photo and autograph session followed, of course, after which Tobias, full of pride and enjoying this wonderful morning, jumped back into his mother's arms.

Great reactions after information evening

On 24 September 2019, Only Friends Eindhoven hosted an information evening at Eetcafé De Verlenging in the beautiful Philips Stadium in Eindhoven. The attendees heard the inspiring story of Dennis Gebbink breathlessly, after which we informed the interested parties present about our plans and dreams.

Dennis Gebbink, founder of Only Friends, talking. Not every visitor kept it dry...

We were able to inform entrepreneurs and other interested parties about the origin of Only Friends Eindhoven, but also about the steps we have taken in the meantime. It has been announced, for example, that young people with disabilities from the Eindhoven region can and will soon start playing sports within the gates of the International School Eindhoven, where Only Friends Eindhoven can (and will) make use of a splendid football pitch, athletics track, sports halls and a dance hall.

The complex on the Oirtschotsedijk in Eindhoven

During the information evening we briefly discussed the fact that Tobias van Stokrom is the first member of Only Friends Eindhoven. Well before we had even found a location, Tobias' parents had already registered him. Nice detail: Tobias is 'stung' by his friend Jasper who already sports at Only Friends Amsterdam!

On that same evening, we already received wonderful pledges: volunteers came forward, sponsors came forward and various visitors offered their help in spreading our story in various ways, but also in looking for sponsors and donors. Heartwarming!

If, for any reason, you missed this inspiring information evening and would still like some information, please let us know, we will be happy to bring you up to date!

PSV Amputation team wins top tournament

The PSV Amputation team has delivered a top performance. The team won the International Amputee Tournament in Germany in early September 2019. 

The group stage started with a win at Brighton (3-0), after which the next two matches against Petersborough (1-1) and Hoffenheim (1-2) were not converted into a win. But thanks to an 8-1 victory over FC Braunschweig, the PSV Amputation team qualified for the semi-finals after all. In the semi-final, Petersborough (5-0) was defeated with clear figures. 

In the final, Hoffenheim was waiting, the team the PSV Amputation team had lost to in the group stage. But this time, PSV won. The final was decided after penalty kicks (3-1) in favour of the Eindhoven players.

A top performance of the PSV Amputation team, which is supervised by trainer/coach Harm Oppers. Harm made the video below available to Only Friends Eindhoven:

More about the PSV Amputation Team
Every week, the team trains for 2.5 hours at the PSV Foundation Academy. The boys come all the way from Groningen, Sittard, Zaandam and Rotterdam at their own expense to play the game. The efforts were rewarded last weekend with the tournament victory. PSV was the first club in the Netherlands to start playing amputee football in January. This aroused the interest of various clubs from all over Europe. For instance, after PSV, Fortuna Dusseldorf, FC Antwerp and Legia Warsaw also started an amputation team. Other big international clubs are now considering to start playing amputation football as well.

Only Friends Eindhoven bears the men of PSV Amputation Football a warm heart and hopes to do more with and for these champions in the future!

Information evening on 24 September

We are proud and slightly excited to announce our information evening!

On Tuesday 24 September next, we welcome interested parties to Eetcafé De Verlenging, Entrance 3 in the PSV stadium in Eindhoven.
At this information evening, we will explain our great plans and the background behind them. We want to introduce Eindhoven and its surroundings to what Only Friends Eindhoven, like all other Only Friends initiatives, wants to promote: You are good as you are. Sports should be accessible to everyone, also for young people with disabilities.

At this information evening Dennis Gebbink, founder of Only Friends and great inspiration for our plans in Eindhoven, will tell how his dream came about. He will talk about the 'journey' he made, the growth of Only Friends and his dream and vision of the future. We will also talk about the location where we will be working out, how we see the future and we hope to be able to announce some big news!

Numerous guests have already signed up, including Katja Snoeijs, player in PSV-1 Ladies Football, Rick Romijn, sidekick with Veronica Inside on the radio, but also entrepreneurs from the region.
Everyone is welcome, of course. Whether you are curious about the possibilities of becoming a volunteer, want to know which sports will be offered and how you can become a member, but certainly also if you want to know how you can make a financial contribution.

Dennis Gebbink, Founder of Only Friends

The information evening starts at 19:30. You are welcome from 19:00, and can have a cup of coffee. We expect to close the evening with a drink around 21:00. Registration is very easy by sending an e-mail to info@onlyfriendseindhoven.nl.

Only Friends Eindhoven Foundation is founded!

On Wednesday 22 May 2019, at the office of Mrs Heidi Renders, Only Friends Eindhoven Foundation was officially established. Three board members signed the Memorandum of Association, after which Notary Public Renders took care of the further processing at the Chamber of Commerce.Only Friends Eindhoven is very grateful to Mr. Renders for her cooperation, professionalism and flexibility, but certainly also for the generous gesture she made by giving a more than reasonable discount on her fees.

Next week, the first 'official' board meeting will be held, in which some important decisions can and will be taken, such as a rental agreement with a truly beautiful sports venue in Eindhoven. On to the future, full of courage and enthusiasm!

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