KRC Genk Starts With Their Own G-Team

KRC Genk Starts With Their Own G-Team

The first training of the KRC Genk G Football team was scheduled. To this end, the club joins forces with VZW RegenbOog, which specializes in working with people with mental disabilities. At the training 15 children with a disability were able to enjoy themselves for the first time on the fields around the Cegeka Arena.

On the training day, 15 enthusiastic children with a disability between the ages of 8 and 13 traveled together for the first time to the indoor hall of KRC Genk. The G-operation is integrated with the youth work of KRC Genk. Like all other youth players, they will be fully dressed in blue and white and they will also join the first team matches during the youth performance.

The KRC Genk FRZA! foundation joins forces for this project with VZW RegenbOog. A non-profit organization that specializes in guiding children with disabilities. They ensure that the children are assisted both on and off the field. “All members of the KRC Genk G team have been to us for an intake interview. We conducted an in-depth interview with each child and the parents. This gives us an overview of all children (and their disabilities) who will play in the team,” says An Wijnants of VZW RegenbOog.

Currently, the G-team of KRC Genk has 15 members, with three teams that can be made (G-football is played 5-on-5 in youth). “We have the ambition to expand the G operation season after season, but we do not want to skip any steps. By working together with the non-profit organization RegenbOog, we ensure that every child is screened in advance and we prevent a suction effect. In this way we can give every child an optimal experience and offer the necessary support,” says Niel Janssen Community Coordinator at KRC Genk.

For the KRC Genk FRZA! foundation, the establishment of a G-operation goes further than just the fun on the field. “The game is of course important, but we also really want to use this project to teach our players certain skills and competencies that they can also use in their daily lives, such as communication skills or learning to function in a group,” says Erik Gerits, General Director of KRC Genk.

During the first training session of the G-squad, Maarten Vandevoordt, Luca Oyen, and Vic Chambaere from the first team came to greet the players. The surprise could count on a lot of enthusiasm from their young Genkies!