John van den Berg retires as a board member of the Youth Fund for Sports & Culture after 8 years | April 5, 2023
John van den Berg is stepping down as a board member of the Youth Fund for Sports & Culture after 8 years
John served on the board for eight years, and the December 2022 meeting was his last during his tenure at the Youth Fund for Sports & Culture South Holland. On March 28, 2023, we, the Youth Fund, officially said goodbye to him as a board member. We would like to thank John for his dedication and commitment over the past eight years.
John, born in Scheveningen and raised in The Hague, studied physiotherapy there after high school. After graduating, he quickly began teaching at the same physiotherapy program. When the physiotherapy program in The Hague was discontinued, he became head of the movement technology program. In the final years of his career, he served as director of the Academy for Sports Studies (The Hague University of Applied Sciences).
These days, John still spends a lot of time in The Hague, serving on the Sports Advisory Council at the Zuiderpark sports campus. In 2014, after a few trial meetings, he joined the board of the Youth Fund for Sports & Culture South Holland. He joined the board from the Sports & Education field and brought his expertise in physical education.
Family & Sports
John was originally a soccer and tennis player, but now he enjoys cycling and plays golf once a week. He is married with two children and four grandchildren, so besides sports and his board duties, he's busy with what matters most: family. Sports have always been important to John and his family. His daughter was a hockey player, and his son a soccer and tennis player. His children are still active athletes and are passing this passion on to their children.
The growing organization of the Youth Fund for Sports & Culture
John says he's pleased that the Youth Fund has become a growing organization. More and more children are getting the chance to participate through a contribution from the Youth Fund. More ways are being explored to involve as many children as possible. John finds this growth both encouraging and important: "It remains important to keep exploring ways to get even more children involved." He also sees that a large group of children between the ages of 12 and 18 are dropping out of sports clubs. It's important to give this group extra attention and to continue raising awareness of the Youth Fund.
John says he believes it's important for people to keep moving and eat healthily, as a preventative measure. People are less likely to get sick and develop fewer disabilities when they're in better shape. That's why children should have the opportunity to participate in sports, so they'll continue to do so later in life. "I think the health aspect is very important; there's also a lot of research that shows that exercise is good for your brain. Furthermore, obesity among young people is still increasing."
Besides the health aspect, there's also the social aspect. Being overweight makes people more likely to become isolated. By giving children the opportunity to participate, we hope to involve them in society, which will also help them develop socially.
The future for John
John is still active on several boards. He retired 10 years ago but wants to stay in touch with young people through his boardroom. John doesn't like to sit still; he wants to stay active and involved in social developments as long as his health allows.
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