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Utrecht | June 30, 2022

Xavier: 'The club feels like family'

Thirteen-year-old Xavier rarely sits still. He's full of energy and loves to move. "Yes, great! I like being active. I dance, I swim, and I'm quite enthusiastic about both. It makes me happy." His mother agrees wholeheartedly. "When Xavier was 2 or 3, we always took him running laps so he could burn off some energy. And now he's still active every day. He only has Sundays off."

Xavier lives with his parents and two sisters in Houten. The family doesn't receive assistance from the Youth Fund. Mother Linda: "But we are a family that values sports and therefore takes advantage of the opportunities to get involved in different sports." An active family indeed. Linda herself grew up in a swimming family; her parents swam, were active in the club, and acted as competition officials. "We were practically always in or around the pool. When I became a mother, I started swimming again and took the children with me. That way, all three of them were in the water from a young age, with all their certificates. That way, the step to competitive swimming is a very small one."

Xavier is still an enthusiastic swimmer. "It's great fun. It's not a team sport, but we still have a lot of fun together as a group. We cheer for each other and want everyone to swim a fast time. Of course, you're also each other's competitors, but that's only in the water. Outside of that, it's really fun." What's great about swimming? "That you strive to get better every time. You're really swimming for yourself. I want to be faster every time."

Social element important

Linda believes it's important for her children to be active. "I grew up with it myself, so for me, it's a natural fit to be a member of a club. Besides the athletic achievements—the healthy exercise and staying active—there's another important aspect. The social element—exercising together and being active with friends—is very important. You learn to be considerate of each other, work together, make friends, and have a good time." Xavier adds: "The club feels like family."

Clear your head

Besides swimming, there is another after-school activity that takes a lot of time and passion: dancing. Xavier started breakdancing and modern dance two years ago. 'Actually because my sister was a selector and I was already doing all that moves I really liked it. I was the only boy who went dancing back then. No, that wasn't strange. I immediately felt at home and welcome, and I think the girls found it interesting. I also often watched YouTube dance videos and visualized them in my head. That's how I practiced at home and quickly improved. After a year, I made the national team, which means training twice a week and occasionally performing or doing a show. When I dance, I forget everything else. It's nice to clear my head like that. And what I also notice is that I can expend energy on it, but it also gives me energy. I'm not careful with my body, but when I dance, I have control. I used to have injuries more often while playing soccer. If I couldn't play sports, I would get really grumpy and not feel well. That's how I realize that sports and exercise are good for me. I also practice six days a week. It's quite a busy schedule on top of school, but I really enjoy it.

Spent hours dancing

Linda says the whole family is captivated by dancing. "During lockdown, we discovered the video game Just Dance. That naturally turned into a fun competition for everyone. We spent many hours dancing like that. It's important during all that time spent indoors. I love seeing Xavier dance so enthusiastically. It's also wonderful to see how they interact with each other in the group. As a child, I noticed, and I see it in my own children as well, how important it is to be active in sports or culture. To grow, in so many ways. Every child in the Netherlands should be able to experience that."

Read and view more

• The video of Xavier for 'Choose your Art'
• More about swimming lessons through the Youth Fund
• More about dance class through the Youth Fund