Vitesse Hattrick 2020/21 Season Starts

Vitesse Hattrick 2020/21 Season Starts

The Vitesse Hattrick competition has kicked off in all participating districts with training having started in seven Arnhem neighbourhoods in October. The programme – by Vitesse Betrokken – uses football to connect participants and bring children and professionals together. This year’s participating neighbourhoods are Klarendal, Geitenkamp, ​​Malburgen, De Laar, Schuytgraaf, Presikhaaf and Arnhem-Midden. The idea is to stimulate cooperation among neighbourhoods.

Sports employees of Sportbedrijf Arnhem are collaborating with Rijnstad employees, the social neighbourhood team, teachers and internal supervisors of schools to select a team for the season. Vitesse Hattrick was borne of dream shared by Sports Company Arnhem, Rijnstad and Vitesse Betrokken to get young people moving in both sporting and social terms. The social programme is aimed at children aged 8 to 12 who live in the Arnhem neighbourhoods of Geitenkamp-Monnikenhuizen, Klarendal-st. Marten, Malburgen-Immerloo, Arnhem-center and Presikhaaf.

Weekly training takes place in the district and once every six weeks there is a tournament on the programme in which teams from all districts compete against each other. Fair play is an important pillar. In addition, Vitesse Hattrick has a social component whereby participants are positively stimulated in terms of education and work. In form of contributions, participants also give back to their neighbourhood. 

Since October, teams have been training weekly in their neighbourhoods. In the initial period, the focus is on forming a group, but the first steps are also taken in developing social skills. This is done by making team appointments during the first training. The children come up with the agreements themselves and must adhere to them throughout the season. These agreements can vary from being on time to rules of conduct. A good example is two agreements that have been drawn up in the Laar district: “We will be on time at the training and at the tournaments.” But also: “We win or lose together.”

The aim of the Vitesse Hattrick programme is to increase the relatively low sports participation in the disadvantaged areas of Arnhem. Sports has a positive effect on the development of children in several areas. Within the Vitesse Hattrick programme, the connecting role of the Vitesse Betrokken foundation is used to expand and intensify cooperation between sports and exercise providers and other partners, with the aim of setting up a new programme that is able to realise a structural sports offer.