The Esther Vergeer Foundation

The Esther Vergeer Foundation was founded by legendary Dutch wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer. With an impressive career—Vergeer is a seven-time Paralympic wheelchair tennis champion, six-time Dutch national champion, and led the women's wheelchair tennis world rankings for many years—she has extended her athletic legacy to an inspiring foundation: the Esther Vergeer Foundation. This foundation is committed to promoting sports participation among children and young people with physical disabilities. This is reason enough for Sjeng Sports to tell you more about the mission, activities, and impact of the Esther Vergeer Foundation. 

The mission of the Esther Vergeer Foundation 

The main mission of the Esther Vergeer Foundation is to give children and young people with physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports and exercise. Although Vergeer herself played wheelchair tennis, it's not the Foundation's only focus. The foundation believes in the power of sports as a tool for promoting self-confidence, social skills, and physical health. Sports can have a tremendously positive impact on the lives of children with disabilities by helping them integrate into society, develop friendships, and experience a sense of independence and fulfillment. 

Various activities for the children 

The Esther Vergeer Foundation organizes various activities to achieve its goals. They organize many clinics, but there's much more the Esther Vergeer Foundation does for children with physical disabilities. Below, we've listed some of these activities. 

Tennis camp 

Every year, the Esther Vergeer Foundation organizes a three-day tennis camp. During this camp, the young people are constantly engaged with their peers: they play lots of tennis, games, and, of course, have lots of fun, making lifelong friends. 

Sports festival 

Last year, the foundation organized the Sports Festival for the first time for every child who played sports through the Esther Vergeer Foundation. This festival was held during the ABN AMRO Open tennis tournament in Rotterdam. 

Villa Pardoes 

The Esther Vergeer Foundation and Villa Pardoes have been collaborating for about five years. During their stay at Villa Pardoes, they become even more familiar with the various sports. 

Successes and future plans 

Over the years, the Esther Vergeer Foundation has had a significant impact on the lives of many children and young people with disabilities. By encouraging and promoting participation in various sports, the foundation has countless success stories of children who have not only improved their physical skills but also expanded their self-confidence and social networks. Such results underscore the value and importance of the Esther Vergeer Foundation's work. 

The foundation continues to grow and develop, and therefore there are still plenty of future plans to be realized. These include expanding existing programs and launching new initiatives to have an even broader impact. The Esther Vergeer Foundation strives to make sports participation even more accessible for children with disabilities.