Leaders of Unites #111 - Leijn Louwerse

I couldn’t have wished for a better childhood. We had so much space, and I was always outside with my brother - playing in the garden, kicking a ball, or jumping over ditches. Our nearest neighbors lived 300 meters away. That’s unthinkable in Amsterdam, haha.

My parents always gave me a lot of love and support, and they allowed me to make my own choices. One of those choices was football. I played for vv Serooskerke until I was sixteen, and later I joined Zeelandia Middelburg to play with friends from high school.

My parents still live in Grijpskerke, but six years ago I moved back to Amsterdam to study. In the beginning, I traveled back every weekend to keep playing football, but I eventually stopped. Now, I try to visit Zeeland about once every two months.

I love switching between the peace of Zeeland and the buzz of Amsterdam
 In Zeeland, I can escape the noise and rush of city life. In the mornings, you hear birds singing, the air is fresher, and I often go walking in nature or along the beach with my family. I love having that balance with the busy city.

I started studying law at university but eventually quit. Now I’m in the final year of my degree in Sports, Management & Entrepreneurship at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. I found out I’m more hands-on - I prefer doing things over just reading books.

During my minor in Sport Development, I got introduced to 3X3 Unites. Mark Schuurman gave a guest lecture and explained what 3X3 Unites stands for and what they want to achieve. I was immediately interested - not just in the basketball part, but in how they use the sport as a tool.

I realized that 3X3 Unites matched a lot of what I was learning in the minor: using sport to help young people grow - socially, professionally, and personally. You can do so much more with sport than just stay fit and healthy.

I learned how to build a community during the 3X3 Leader Course
It gave me a great overview of 3X3 Unites and how they help young people gain skills and job opportunities. I also learned how to build a community and connect with people in it. Skills I still use every day.

Last year, I did research on the need for a sports space in the Kraaienbuurt neighborhood in Amsterdam. Last month, we opened the Paper Dome there. I’m now focused on gathering ideas from young people in the area and helping bring them together. I also manage the programming for the Paper Dome.

I’m happy the first weeks at the Paper Dome have gone well, and I think it’s awesome that 3X3 Unites trusts me with so much responsibility. It gives me the chance to grow in many ways. We agreed with the city that we’d offer at least 16 hours of programming per week. And we’re already at 26 hours!