{"id":12607,"date":"2026-05-07T20:04:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T18:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/between-gravel-and-policy\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T20:17:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T18:17:27","slug":"between-gravel-and-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/between-gravel-and-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Between clay court and management"},"content":{"rendered":"

Between clay courts and management<\/p>\n

A joint interview with Groundsman Gijs Abelen and Park Manager Rolf Bredschneijder<\/strong><\/p>\n

At Park Startbaan, everything revolves around the visitor experience, quality and continuity. But who actually ensures this? And more importantly: how do you view the same park when you are responsible for the quality of the park and the courts, or for the day-to-day running of the park?<\/p>\n

In this double interview, we speak to Gijs Abelen, groundsman at the park since 1 March 2026, and Rolf Bredschneijder, park manager. Two roles, two perspectives \u2014 united by a single goal: ensuring that Park Startbaan runs smoothly every day.<\/p>\n

Whereas Gijs looks at the condition of the pitches and maintenance down to the last detail, Rolf looks at the bigger picture: occupancy, development and the future of the park as a sports community. Sometimes those worlds fit together seamlessly. Sometimes there\u2019s friction. And that\u2019s exactly where it gets interesting.<\/p>\n

Introducing:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs Abelen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs Abelen has been working as groundsman at Park Startbaan since March 2026, succeeding the experienced Herman Mus. His role revolves entirely around the quality and playability of the courts. As groundsman, he is responsible for daily maintenance, assessing weather conditions and ensuring consistent quality under varying circumstances. Gijs has a strong practical profile: someone who works based on observation, experience and timing.<\/p>\n

Most of this work goes unnoticed by the average player, but it has an immediate impact on the playing experience. The groundsman is therefore a crucial link in ensuring the quality of the grounds \u2014 without ever taking centre stage.<\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cI make sure everything is just right. Day in, day out. The courts and the park must feel just right. If members don\u2019t even think about it, I\u2019ve done my job properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf Bredschneijder \u2013 Park Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rolf Bredschneijder has been appointed as park manager of Park Startbaan since February 2025. He studied law in Leiden and has a background as a freelance professional in career coaching and in-company training, with a clear affinity for sport and tennis. He knows the tennis world like the back of his hand, partly through his two sons and as a tennis coach during his student days. As park manager, he focuses on the bigger picture: the organisation of the park, staffing, the development of facilities and the strategic direction for the future. His role is less visible on the courts themselves, but is decisive for how the park develops as a whole.<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cI look at the big picture. Not just how things are going today, but where we\u2019re heading. The park must continue to develop.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first glance What is the first thing you look at when you walk onto the course?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cThe courses. Moisture, texture and evenness. You can tell straight away whether it\u2019s going to be an easy or a difficult day. And sometimes you just know: this is going to be hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cThe occupancy. What\u2019s happening today? How\u2019s it going? But to be honest: if the pitches aren\u2019t in good condition, I can see that straight away. Then I know Gijs is going to be busy\u2026 and I probably will be too, eventually.\u201d<\/p>\n

When is it right?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cWhen the players don\u2019t say a word. Silence is the greatest compliment.\u201d Rolf: \u201cWhen everything seems to run smoothly. That\u2019s usually no coincidence, but the result of planning and consultation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Craftsmanship vs. decision-making, What is the biggest misconception about your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cThat maintenance is simple. Just a quick fix and you\u2019re done. It doesn\u2019t work like that. It\u2019s all about timing, intuition and experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cThat you can control everything. In reality, you\u2019re constantly balancing interests, figures and people. And everyone is right \u2014 from their own perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

When do you think: this was thought up from behind a desk?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: (laughs) \u201cI do think that sometimes, yes. Especially when it sounds good in theory but works slightly differently in practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cAnd rightly so, sometimes. But conversely, I also sometimes think: this seems simple, but there\u2019s more to it than just execution. That\u2019s when it\u2019s good that we keep each other on our toes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Air Dome, a great new initiative<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs, what are your concerns? \u201cGravel under an air-supported hall behaves differently. Moisture, hardness, recovery in the spring. You have to take that seriously, otherwise you\u2019ll pay for it later.<\/p>\n

Rolf, why go ahead with it? \u201cBecause standing still isn\u2019t an option. Indoor capacity in the region is declining, whilst demand is growing. So you have to take action, even if that brings new challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

When will the air dome be a successful project?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cWhen the courts are back in top condition by spring. That\u2019s what it ultimately comes down to. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve opted for a new type of clay that requires less maintenance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cIf we can offer more on a long-term basis without compromising on quality. And if members see it as an improvement, not a compromise.\u201d<\/p>\n

The park as a whole. When is Park Startbaan more than just a sports park?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cWhen people don\u2019t just come here to play, but also stick around. When it becomes a place you enjoy being.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cYou notice that straight away. More use, more life. But that also means: more maintenance. So the more successful the park, the more vigilant I have to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

The person behind the work. When do you have a good day?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cWhen everything goes according to plan. And the weather cooperates a bit. Unfortunately, you can\u2019t control the latter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cWhen things come together. When you see: this is right. That\u2019s often the result of choices you made weeks earlier.<\/p>\n

Biggest pet peeve?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cPlayers who leave the pitch as if someone else will sort it out. That\u2019s true\u2026 but I\u2019d rather they didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cShort-term thinking. It always ends up costing you more in the long run, you just don\u2019t see it straight away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collaboration. What do you need from the other person?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cClarity. What do we want, where are we heading? Then I can plan ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cPractical insight. What works, what doesn\u2019t. Decisions are better when they\u2019re based on reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where do things go wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cWhen planning and reality clash. Nature doesn\u2019t stick to a schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cWhen choices have consequences that only become apparent later on. Then you have to make adjustments without it feeling like you\u2019re going back on your decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quality vs. usage.\u00a0When does it go wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cWhen a court has to endure too much and is poorly maintained. Then you gradually compromise without realising it straight away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cWhen you only look at occupancy. Then you win today, but lose tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion?<\/strong>
\nBoth: \u201cBalance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Which of the two\u2026? Answer without thinking<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s played at the highest level?<\/strong>
\nGijs: \u201cMe. You can tell straight away from the way I move.\u201d
\nRolf: \u201cThat\u2019s right. That\u2019s particularly interesting from a historical perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Better at golf?<\/strong>
\nRolf: \u201cMe.\u201d
\nGijs: \u201cKeep on dreaming, Rolf. You\u2019re certainly better at fishing balls out of the water \u2014 but I don\u2019t think that counts towards lowering your handicap.\u201d<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s more critical?<\/strong>
\nGijs: \u201cMe, about everything you can see.\u201d
\nRolf: \u201cMe, about everything you haven\u2019t seen yet. That\u2019s worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cAnd me, about the execution.\u201d
\nRolf: \u201cMe, about the whole picture. So we don\u2019t get in each other\u2019s way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s the biggest perfectionist?<\/strong>
\nGijs: \u201cMe.\u201d
\nRolf: \u201cAgreed. Thank goodness. Saves me the hassle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why do you make a good team together?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cBecause we complement each other. I\u2019m on the ground and see straight away what\u2019s needed; Rolf looks further ahead and sets the direction. Sometimes we see things differently, but that\u2019s precisely why we keep each other on our toes. Ultimately, we both want the same thing: for everything to be right at the park.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cBecause we work towards the same goal from different angles. Gijs ensures the basics are in order every day; I make sure those basics remain future-proof. We call each other to account where necessary and rely on each other\u2019s expertise. That makes it strong \u2014 and, to be honest, just plain fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/strong> What will the park look like in five years\u2019 time?<\/p>\n

Rolf: \u201cMore than just tennis, padel and billiards. More dynamism, more activity. A place where sport and socialising come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cAnd hopefully still courts that people enjoy playing on. Because that\u2019s where it all begins and ends, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

In conclusion. Park Startbaan is, for me\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gijs: \u201cThe freedom to organise my own work and to work at one of the most beautiful parks in the Netherlands.\u201d
\nRolf: \u201cThe best job ever! And a place that needs to keep developing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two men. One park. Somewhere between clay courts and policy, quality is born.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3904,"featured_media":12606,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,54,53,47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-padel","category-billiards-center-startbaan","category-tenniscentrum-startbaan-en","category-stichting-tenniscentrum-startbaan-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3904"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12607"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12611,"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12607\/revisions\/12611"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.parkstartbaan.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}