What is a ‘vereniging’?
If you haven’t already consulted Google Translate, it will tell you it means a volunteer association, club or society. In the Netherlands, we have ~140.000 official verenigingen, of which 28.000 have something to do with sports. Albatros is one of them which means anyone can become a member. From eight-year-olds to those over 90, good players and those who still need some training. All are welcome.

Is it for free?
In Dutch we say: ‘alleen de zon gaat voor niets op’ which means ‘only the sun rises for nothing’. So the answer is no. Members contribute by paying fees of around EUR 260 if you’re 18+. Don’t worry, it’s not per month. It covers a whole year of weekly trainings + a game. You’re welcome to attend a few trainings free of charge to get a feel for the club (and it’s awesome members). Once we find you a spot in one of our great teams, we’ll ask you to pay the contributions and buy an Albatros uniform for games.

Do I have to play every week?
Yes, because we also say it’s ‘vrijwillig, maar niet vrijblijvend’, which means ‘it’s voluntary but not optional’. We’re not unreasonable and understand that life comes up, but we ask for your commitment. Not only for yourself, but especially for your teammates. Otherwise, you can always play tennis instead. We train weekly on Mondays. Our home games are on Wednesdays in de Verheijhal while away games can vary throughout the week.

How is a ‘vereniging’ organized?
This is when we emphasize the volunteer part of volunteer association. We only work with volunteers. People who are passionate and devote themselves, heart and soul, to the club. Nobody gets paid. (Told you we were passionate). Only the trainers receive a small volunteer allowance. That means that we rely on members to help out. For example: setting up nets, tidying up volleyballs, refereeing,  organizing a tournament, etc. A ‘vereniging’ is like a cozy family: everyone helps, not just mum and dad.

It sounds fun, I want to try it out!
Send an e-mail (men, women or youth)! Let us know where you’ve played volleyball before, at what level and how often you trained. If you have more questions, just ask!