Leaf & Chairman: Shared Experiences

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Until recently, not much had ended up. But during the Dutch youth championships it was quickly clear from both sides that that appointment should indeed be made.

The chairman wanted to tell about the mission process that the board had made. During the NJK he assumed that he would be eligible for a second term as chairman and would remain involved in the process. Shortly after the NJK, however, there was an offer on his way that he could not put no no against. That meant that he could not combine a second term as chairman with the job on the Caribbean islands.

In his period as chairman, there was also a possibility to get into the Council of the BWF. Also a possibility he couldn’t say no to. He thought it was a good and great opportunity to represent the Netherlands in such an important and influential badminton organ. One of the things within his job description in the Council was the development of badminton in general. And for someone who has so much love for badminton sport as Jan Helmond one that chance he was not allowed to let go.

To prevent the chairman from being pulled on his jacket again during our conversation, like during the NJK, we had agreed in a place where normally not many badmintonners come, the canteen of a tennis club. And indeed we were only approached by the waitress.

While enjoying a cola zero and a spa blue, the season was about to start, we had plenty of time and the peace for a solid conversation. The chairman with a pink chair and I in my eyes, with a dark negative glasses, according to the chairman.

Jan looks back on his time as chairman with good and warm feelings. They were not the easiest times for a chairman.

One of his intentions at the start of his presidency was that he would be recognizable as chairman. Would be much more present during badmintone events such as competition and tournaments. In contrast to his predecessor, who was a good driver, but a lesser badminton lover and was much less visible to the members.

We have indeed seen this chairman much more in the hall and was approachable for everyone. Witness his jacket after the NJK, many people attracted that.

Another intention was that he wanted to work as a bridge builder. He was aware that BNL was and is not equally popular with everyone in Badmintonland. He is also aware that if we want to realize changes within Badmintonland that we need a lot of people for that and that we prefer to want the same direction with everyone.

I think the chairman spent more time on the chairmanship than initially thought. In his period as chairman, things have been going on within Badmintonland. Such as saying goodbye to a number of players who were the face of top sport in recent years – think of Mark Caljouw, Robin Tabeling and Selena Piek.

But stopping the subsidy from the NOC*NSF will start the history books of BNL as a very big change. Shortly after the announcement, BNL was very busy and active to try to stop this stopping. Federal office and board were jointly incurred in this. After it turned out that stopping was irrevocable, a different course had to be chosen.

In the past, someone with a big mouth in a distant abroad had sometimes called that you should no longer be dependent on subsidies and be able to stop your own pants. That way you can sail your own course much more. It seems that the board has thought about this statement and the truth of the statement. The board has spent a lot of time making a mission process for the coming years that is in line with that statement. Jan is very proud of this mission trajectory and the process soon dominates the conversation.

If I indicate that it is possible that the process will stop again with the arrival of a new chairman, he indicates that the board and representatives have completely embraced the mission process and that the process will continue anyway. And that he has indicated that he would like to remain involved in the process.

When I ask for a concluding one of the most beautiful things of his time as chairman (as befits a good journalist), he soon mentions the efforts of many people who have a warm heart for the badminton sport and commit themselves to the sport. He mentions people like tournament leaders, line court leaders, volunteers during the tournaments (not only the Dutch Open and the NK, but also all youth tournaments and competitions), in short spoken as a real chairman and a lover of badminton sport.

I suspect that we have not yet heard the latter of Jan Helmond within badminton sport. I still expect it back in some position. And maybe I’ll speak to him. And maybe you read here again.