For young people like Ivar (17), the Cruyff Foundation junior camps offer a unique opportunity to develop as a tennis player, but also on a personal level. The Johan Cruyff Foundation contributes to the organization of these camps, with the aim of making wheelchair tennis more accessible and promoting it.
Ivar van Rijt is a sporty guy who has been playing the sport since he was 11 years old. For the last 4 years he has been focusing on the higher level. "I'm on my way," he says confidently. Ivar started well this year, winning 3 of 4 tournaments. This good start to 2024 now puts him second in the world rankings. So Ivar is definitely in good shape among the juniors and hopes to advance to the seniors.
Cruyff Foundation junior camp
Tennis brings Ivar a lot of fun, as it does during the Cruyff Foundation junior camps. Ivar has already attended two junior camps, and twice participated in the Cruyff Foundation Junior Master, to which you are only invited if you are one of the top players of the previous season. During the Cruyff Foundation junior camp, Ivar gets to know many new people. All with their own cultural background, level and motivation. "A lot of people come to play tennis because they enjoy it, less for the top sport," he says. This makes for a lot of fun and an inspiring environment, where Ivar and his fellow players can learn from each other.
Besides the tough tennis program, there is also time for relaxation during the junior camps. The evening program provides a cozy atmosphere, where Ivar and the other players can recover from the intensive training and matches and broaden their horizons by learning from juniors from other cultures. Ivar himself then enjoys getting to know the other languages a bit more.
Ivar experiences the Cruyff Foundation junior camps as an inspiring environment. "It gives me more energy to play tennis," he says. When you train at a high level, training can quickly become "boring," according to Ivar. "You then often play against the same players and have a lot of the same repititions." The Cruyff Foundation junior camp then provides a new impetus and a fresh dose of inspiration.
Friends & self-confidence
The friendships Ivar makes at the camps are an added motivation. "You mostly see the same people, because the world around wheelchair tennis is not very big," he explains. "Besides, it's really a roller thing to have social encounters next to the court."
The Cruyff Foundation junior camps not only helped Ivar develop his tennis skills, but also boosted his self-confidence. At his first camp he played his first final, and at his second junior camp he won that final! This success, combined with the learning experiences and the friendly atmosphere, make the Cruyff Foundation junior camps a valuable contribution to the development of young talent like Ivar.
ITF x Cruyff Foundation
The Cruyff Foundation and ITF have been working together for 20 years to develop wheelchair tennis for young people. On the one hand, together we ensure growth of the sport so that it is accessible to more children with disabilities. We ensure that more materials are available, and that wheelchair tennis is played in more countries. For example, we also promote the sport in developing countries. On the other hand, with the Cruyff Foundation junior camp and the Cruyff Foundation junior masters, we offer young people opportunities to develop, playing tennis competition at a higher level. Many young people we see during the Cruyff Foundation junior camps later grow into top wheelchair tennis players in adult competition.