Whether as volunteers or taking part in the race, students and alumni of Johan Cruyff Institute commemorate the anniversary of Johan’s birth on April 25
On Tuesday April 25th, the day when Johan Cruyff would have turned 70, Ajax and the Cruyff Foundation are organizing the 14K Run. The Cruyff Foundation 14K Run is a 14-kilometer social run that starts in the Olympic Stadium and takes the participants past memorable places in the life of Johan Cruyff. The finish line is in the Amsterdam ArenA. The run is a way to commemorate Johan Cruyff and to reflect on his legacy. And as part of that legacy, the Johan Cruyff Colleges, Academies and Johan Cruyff Institute will of course have a presence! Many alumni, students and staff will participate in the run, and there will also be a special delegation taking part in the Business Run, which is one of the side events.
A big event like this cannot do without volunteers, and true to one of the principles of Johan Cruyff — “You cannot do it alone, you have to do it together” — many students and alumni signed up as volunteers, so the event is in good hands. Joris van Soerland, a student of the Master in Sport Management at Johan Cruyff Institute, is one of them: “Unfortunately, I cannot participate myself because of an injury, but now I can still do something for the run, and at the same time cheer for my fellow students who will do the 14K”.
“It is important that Johan Cruyff remains well known, and not only for being an outstanding person and star player in the past,” says classmate Sasja Barentsen. “It is maybe not related to the run itself, but Oscar Carré and Abraham Tuschinki left their permanent mark on Amsterdam’s cultural life. I hope that this will be the case with Johan Cruyff and sport. It is therefore important to be active and to keep the social legacy of Johan alive”.
Last years volunteers who participated in the Cruyff Foundation 14K Run
There is great enthusiasm for the run, which makes it clear that Johan Cruyff has a special meaning for many. It is certainly the case for Joris: “Johan established the Johan Cruyff Institute, which made it possible for me to further develop myself in a later stage of my life. Hopefully, I can continue to spread his ideas in the future, so that more people with a passion for sport get the chance to lead sport organizations. I fully support his vision that no one can better serve the interests of sport than someone with the heart of an athlete”.
And Sasja adds: “His unique way of looking at things and bring those back to the core, has always appealed to me. For me personally, the legacy of his educational approach is worth a fortune. The traditional way of teaching at schools was not really appealing to me – which is an understatement – although I am very curious by nature. I’m still so glad I made the decision to return to school at age 41. It is unfortunate that I will never be able to thank him personally for this, but what he established after his career as a player and a coach on a social level, with the Foundation on the one hand, and the Institute, Academy and College on the other, deserves in my eyes even more respect than his performances on the field”.
We wish all participants, organizers and volunteers good luck. Enjoy the run!
STUDY WITH US, OUR PROGRAMS IN ENGLISH IN AMSTERDAM
Johan Cruyff Institute Amsterdam uses a rich learning environment that fosters educational tools based on a student interaction model. We aim for a mix of students from sports and business sectors, which also enables students to share their unique experiences and learn from each other. Through ‘Cruyffian’ teaching methods the students will engage actively in creative challenges that require effort, commitment and intuitive thinking. Visit the web pages to find out more about these programs, which we deliver in English:
- Master in Sport Management (Start: September, Amsterdam)
- Sponsorship 360 for a Changing World (Start: September, Amsterdam & study trip to London)
- Master in Coaching (Start: February, Amsterdam & Arnhem)
