(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppenr)
 Evert-Jan 't Hoen wins Coach of the Year Award in Rotterdam
Nederlands
...Evert-Jan 't Hoen...
...Rotterdam Coach of the Year...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
 ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Evert-Jan 't Hoen was voted Sports Coach of the Year on Friday-evening (January 23) during the Sport Awards Rotterdam 2025 Gala in Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam.
Last year, 't Hoen led the Netherlands Baseball Team to its 25th European title by winning the Final of the European Championship, which was organized in Rotterdam.
Dutch Champion Curaçao Neptunus was nominated again for Sports Team of the Year for, but didn't win the Award.
Annually in January (in earlier years in December), Rotterdam honors the best in sports in its region during Sport Awards Rotterdam, which was known as Sport Awards Rotterdam-Rijnmond until a few years ago.
The Sports Awards Rotterdam ceremony is a collaboration between the Municipality of Rotterdam, Rotterdam Sportsupport, Rotterdam Topsport and Rotterdam Sports Company.
On September 27 last year, the Netherlands Baseball Team faced Italy in the European Championship Final in the Neptunus Familiestadion.
The Final became a classic thriller and the Orange Team won with a 6-5 score.
Shairon Martis was the starting pitcher and four relievers were needed to complete the game.
Evert-Jan 't Hoen headed the Dutch coaching-staff, which also consisted of Sidney de Jong (Bench Coach), Randolph Oduber (1B Coach), Ben Thijssen (3B Coach), Bart Hanegraaf (Hitting Coach), Nick Stuifbergen (Pitching Coach), Jair Jurrjens (Bullpen Coach) and Michael Duursma (Coach).
Unfortunately, De Jong unexpectedly passed away on January 7 at the much too young age of 46.
It marks the third time that Evert-Jan 't Hoen won this local Award.
He also was named Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2014 for leading Neptunus to the Dutch Championship-title.
't Hoen was the Head Coach of Neptunus in 2013-2016 and captured the title in each of his four seasons with the club.
He is the Manager of the Netherlands Kingdom Team since 2018.
Last year was the third time that the team captured the European Gold Medal after also winning in 2019 and 2021.
In 2023, the Netherlands had to settle for the Bronze Medal, which marked the first time in history that the team didn't finish in first or second place.
Besides Evert-Jan 't Hoen, also nominated for Coach of the Year were father/son Leo and Sergio van der Meide (PAC Rotterdam, track-and-field, 6 European Medals) and Camilo van Trijp (RoBa, wheelchair basketball, unbeaten National Champion, National Cup-Winner and Champion BeNe (Belgium-Netherlands) League).
Curaçao Neptunus was nominated again for Sports Team of the Year for capturing its record-extending 21st Dutch Championship-title.
A year ago, Neptunus won the Award after having become champion for the 20th in 2024.
But on Friday-evening, the team didn't win, as the Award for Team of the Year went to the RoBa wheelchair basketball-team.
Also nominated was Albion Swimming (Dutch Champion).
Other winners on Friday-evening were Xavi Mo-Ajok (Rotterdam Atletiek, running, Male Athlete of the Year Award), Linn van Aanholt (ARSR Skadi, rowing, Female Athlete of the Year Award), Elise de Jong (PAC Rotterdam, pole vault, Talent of the Year Award), Yahya Taibi (Abdel-Kwan Rotterdam, taekwondo, Volunteer of the Year Award), En Sport Fight Academy (fight sports, Sports Provider of the Year Award) and Blind Soccer SV Ommoord (More Than Sports of the Year Award).
(January 23)
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