Football is the biggest sport in the city. Football clubs can be found in all districts. Old clubs, young clubs, small, large, more or less successful clubs, and so on. They all have one thing in common: they rely on volunteers. Some volunteers truly live for their club. Like Mohamed el Harti. He has been a volunteer at VVA/Spartaan for 16 years. He is there every day, also on weekends. We visited him.
Volunteers are the backbone of Amsterdams football clubs. Without them, the clubs could not operate. Harti, as Mohamed is known at the club, shows that volunteering not only benefits the club but also yourself. Amsterdam strengthens the football clubs with the Amsterdam Football Agenda.
Start
Harti started his volunteer work at VVA/Spartaan when he brought his son to football. “He was still too young, only 3 years old. That was 16 years ago. But football had him in its grip. He was always busy with a ball. He was allowed to join for fun occasionally, and as soon as he turned 5, he became a member. I always brought him to the club, and soon I came there a few times a week.”
From coach to caretaker
He felt like a fish in water at the football club. “I played football myself for a long time, 30 years, starting at age 22. So I knew a lot about football. Because there was a big shortage of volunteers, they asked me to become a coach. I did that with great pleasure. I only stopped coaching this year. I got too old, I thought. Now I am the caretaker here. I open the gates around 4 pm and close them again in the evening after training. And on weekends I am there to supervise the matches.”
‘100 percent known’
That Harti has been around here for 16 years and is immensely popular is clear. The boys who come by almost all give a handshake, and Harti has a kind word for everyone. ‘How was your holiday?’, he asks one. About another 15-year-old boy who greets him politely, he says: “I have known him since he was 6 years old. And recently he was scouted by Telstar!” Harti is proud and visibly enjoys his fame. “Yes, everyone knows me, 100 percent.”
Appreciation
The work as a volunteer brings Harti a lot. Especially the appreciation he receives does him good. “Everyone comes to me. With questions, to arrange things. Because I have been here so long, I know how everything works here. Parents also find me if there are problems with their child. I know them. But sometimes it is a lot. We regularly try to get more volunteers through posters at schools and via Facebook. Sometimes it works, but unfortunately most volunteers do not stay long.”
Does he not get tired of it? “No,” says Harti. “Whoever does something with heart is never tired.”