05 april 2024
Bill Duin has been a sponsor of FC Volendam for many years with his Podobrace – the online store for braces, insoles, compression stockings and other medical devices. In addition to his (shirt) sponsorship, Bill is also a premium partner, a member of the Orange Circle and has recently become part of the commercial advisory group. In this article we ask him five questions.
Why and how long have you been a sponsor of FC Volendam?
“Almost immediately after we started Podobrace, we became a sponsor of FC Volendam. That would be about twelve years now. The club feeling was actually instilled in us from an early age in our family at both the handball and football clubs. I am incredibly proud of our village and I believe that if possible, as a Volendammer you always give something back to the village that gives so much to you. Because what could be better than creating something beautiful together with your fellow villagers and investing in a shared dream to put this beautiful village even more on the map. That is why we are not only the FC, but also a sponsor of, among others, RKAV Volendam, Ringen om Volendam and handball club Kras/Volendam. Because together with FC Volendam, these are institutes, institutes that are often supported by volunteers who dedicate themselves with heart and soul to our children every day. That is something that we must not only protect forever, but above all cherish.”
To what extent are there connections between what makes your company strong and the values of FC Volendam?
“At Podobrace we are always there for you, and whether it is for our customers or for each other, we are there for you. ‘Always the right support’ is our slogan and FC Volendam is so entrenched in the village that we really do it together here, because this club belongs to all of us. We are a small village, but we do great things, precisely because we are always stronger together. The whole of Volendam is committed to this wonderful club, a club in which entrepreneurs, supporters and all those volunteers are ready for FC Volendam year in, year out. It is precisely this sense of solidarity that is our greatest strength and we can be very proud of it.”
What do you find unique about FC Volendam?
“To start with, in Volendam we have one of the largest amateur associations in the Netherlands with RKAV Volendam, which also plays highly in amateur football and indoor football, FC Volendam and the handball association that even play in the Eredivisie. Our singers have been in the top 40 for years and many of our entrepreneurs are doing wonderful things on a large scale. That’s really incredible! We are doing really big things for such an unprecedentedly small village and we can be incredibly proud of that! But of all the things we do, FC Volendam is literally the beating heart of our village, as the stadium is one of the few stadiums still really located in the heart of the village. And when you walk to the stadium on a winter’s day with thousands of supporters and you see the lights sticking out above the houses and in the background you hear the club song echoing through the speakers, yes, sorry, a big boy who doesn’t get goosebumps, because those are really boys’ dreams.”
“So even though we have big clubs like AZ and Ajax around us and it is therefore more difficult for our youth academy, we still manage to produce good football players every time, who all dream of one day being able to wear that orange shirt. Isn’t it wonderful that you see children cycling everywhere with FC Volendam shirts and hoodies from Hekside? That is where the real power of the FC lies and that is what it should all be about: the youth, all those volunteers and our wonderful supporters, including the boys from Hekside who put their heart and soul into this club every week and remain behind their club no matter what happens. Yes, I think that’s wonderful, because we have to cherish that kind of passion. Everyone lives for this village and It may sound cliché, but this club really belongs to all of us and no individual should ever be above the collective. That is why it is so dear to people’s hearts what has happened and that is precisely why it is so important that we now do it together, because no one will destroy us. If we are relegated, we will be promoted again and we will become stronger than ever, and it is that solidarity that makes us unique.”
What is your personal connection with FC Volendam?
“Both my grandfathers Duin and Schilder were chairman and even have their own stands in the stadium. The club feeling has been instilled in us from an early age. Our entire family enjoys being involved in the FC, RKAV and the handball club. As a family, we feel in our hearts that we must keep that circle complete, because how wonderful it is to be able to continue their legacy. The only thing we really possess in this life are just moments in time, so we have to create something that is bigger than ourselves, that will stand the test of time and what could be better suited for that than a dream of two grandfathers to one day become Dutch champion. become, try to make it come true. Our grandfathers would have loved this and I hope that one day my sons and grandsons, just like their great-grandfathers, will try again to become the most beautiful club in the Netherlands.”
What appeal would you like to make to supporters and sponsors?
“The club has been through a lot in the past period. But setbacks always happen, it is much more important how we deal with them, that we learn from them and, above all, that we grow from them. And if we all continue to support the club, positive energy will come again and that is the start of everything! Because it’s not about what you do when everything goes well, it’s about what you do when things get tough, after all, on bad days you know who your real friends are. I hope that many more sponsors and supporters share that feeling with me and continue to support the club now. It is very easy now to point fingers at certain people, but that is no longer the point. It happened and we are all passers-by in this, but the club remains forever and that is bigger than anyone or anything. And that is why it is so nice to see that so many people have emerged in recent months who really give everything with an orange heart to make the club stronger again. Trying to restore confidence with the right core values and trying to keep us in the Premier League with everything they have. Because there is still a chance, and if we do go out, it is up to us to do everything we can to return to the Eredivisie quickly. Because daring to think big and daring to dream again is where it all starts. We are not going anywhere, in fact, FC Volendam will not only be able to count on our unconditional support and commitment forever, I will also invest much more in this wonderful club in the future. Because even if it is the last thing we do, the club will not only get back on its feet, but will also become stronger than ever. Volendam has always been known for its resilience and they will see that too, because there is nothing, absolutely nothing that can get us down. We have been through everything and together we can really do anything. Because we are Volendam residents and this is our house, these are our people and this is our club and that is forever.”
Text & photos: FC Volendam
