Running? I could only do sprint. Basketball - I was tall enough, but not sufficiently fast and. Gymnastics? Well, that went OK. Actually, it was the only thing that raised my grades from F to maybe D+. I hated sports because I was made to compete without fun and, perhaps, in uneven competition. People -all differently built- had to reach the same top scores to pass.

It’s not that I didn’t like sports at all (because I loved to play badminton for hours on warm summer nights, or bike up and down the hills in beautiful countryside, or go cross-country skiing in the middle of the frozen night), I just hated the idea that PE was the only thing I was close to failing at school and it made me feel that I was failing more than just a random class.

So, guess what? As soon as I was done with high school I quit sports, because that’s how I felt about it - if you go jogging you have to win (what exactly, I don’t know, but you have to win). I danced alone and trained a bit in places, where nobody could see me, but that’s it.

Until one day, a couple of years later, when I finally opened the door of TU/e sport center everything changed. Dutch people, no matter how slow or fast, big or small, short or tall they are, love sports. You can see it in their eyes. The complexes disappear and, although competition is still there, nobody fights for grades; people sport here for fun and a healthy body (although I don’t know how healthy it is to drink beer right after sports, ha ha).

I love endorphins and Student Sport Center. It’s the place where instructors smiiiileee and make you do your best to sweat the hard work of the day away. It’s the place where energy and inspiration goes home with you. And you know what?? Some time ago, I thought I’m never going to say this, but - I love sports! All kinds of sports and I will continue doing it as long as my body will allow me. No matter how tall or short, big or small, fast or slow I will become! So, if you didn’t start yet, please join! It’s fun.