A stadium filled with sport, more than 1.300 children and over 30 different sports to try. Today, the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam was all about sport and having fun during the Cruyff Foundation Open Day. Throughout the afternoon, children with and without special needs had the chance to play football, tennis and wheelchair basketball, as well as try their hand at many other sports.
The Open Day was created with one simple idea in mind: to give children the opportunity to discover which sports suits them best. An idea closely connected to Johan Cruyff’s philosophy. He believed in the power of sport and that every child deserves the space to play, exercise and be active.
Over the years, the Open Day has grown into an annual event featuring dozens of sports, supported by a large group of dedicated volunteers, partners and ambassadors. Several ambassadors joined us again today. Among them were Frank Rijkaard, Anouk Hoogendijk, Edwin van der Sar, Niels Vink and Diede de Groot, who didn’t just come along to watch, but got involved and took part in activities alongside the children.
For the Cruyff family, this is also one of the most special days of the year. Danny, Jordi and Susila Cruyff joined us to enjoy this special day together.
Find what you love
The Open Day isn’t about being the best or the fastest. It’s about trying new things, discovering what you enjoy and, above all, having fun. In just one afternoon, children can experience a wide variety of sports. They might find a new way to enjoy a sport they already know, or discover something they have never tried before.
And of course, we hope the fun doesn’t end after just one day. That’s why we work together with Uniek Sporten during the Open Day. They help children and their parents explore opportunities to continue playing sport in their local area. If the cost of joining a sports club is a barrier, the Jeugdfonds Sport & Cultuur can offer financial support.
This way, one afternoon filled with new experiences can become the start of much more sporting fun.
Partner meeting focuses on Special Heroes
Alongside all the sporting activities for the children, the Open Day also hosted the Cruyff Foundation’s annual partner meeting for partners and sponsors. The meeting was hosted by Cruyff Foundation ambassador Carlos Platier.
During the meeting, the director of the Cruyff Foundation, Niels Meijer, looked back on our work over the past period and shared some of the exciting projects ahead. Each year, the partner meeting focuses on a specific theme. This year, the spotlight was on Special Heroes, the programme for special education schools that became part of the Cruyff Foundation this year.
A panel discussion with Nico Teunnissen and Chantal Migo explored Special Heroes in more detail and highlighted the importance of sport and physical activity for children in special education.
Made possible by
A day like the Cruyff Foundation Open Day is only possible thanks to the involmenet of all children, supervisors, volunteers, sport organisations, partners and ambassadors who took part. A big thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a special one.
The Open Day was captured by photographers Ilse Schaffers, Mariëlle van Opbergen, Raymond van Olphen, Sebastiaan Nederhoed en Joshua Statie. The day was also captured by three reporters. Keep an eye on our social media channels for the final result!