Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: RKVV SJC (1922-1942, 1945-2022) / vv Noordwijk (1933-1936, 1945-1946) / RKVV SJC (B) (2022-)

Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg I "Roomsch-Katholieke Noordwijksche Sportpark", Noordwijk Noordwijk-Binnen (B pitch of RKVV SJC, formerly main pitch of RKVV SJC & - as groundsharers - vv Noordwijk)

Netherlands, province: South Holland = Zuid-Holland

2 VI 2016 / RKVV SJC - FC Boshuizen 3-2 / Sunday League 1, promotion play-off semi - second leg (= NL level 5)

Timeline

1920 / Foundation of a first football club in Noordwijk, a seaside town in the Province of South Holland. Brought about at the behest of the Roman Catholic St Jeroen (St Iero) parish – notably its chaplain, Fr Braakman – the club takes on the name Roomsch-Katholieke Voetbalvereeniging (RKVV) Sint-Jeroensclub (SJC). The club starts its existence on a pitch known locally as Terrein De Hoeve, on a location outside the town borders. However, again at the initiative of Fr Braakman, the quest for a new-to-be laid-out ground closer to the St Iero church begins virtually straightaway.
1921 / Disdaining membership of the non-confessional official Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, later renamed KNVB), RKVV SJC joins the Roman Catholic Football Federation (RKF) – more specifically its sub-branch in the western part of the Netherlands, the so-called DHVB (Diocesane Haarlemsche Voetbalbond). Later that year, in September 1921, works get underway on the projected Roomsch-Katholieke Noordwijksche Sportpark at Lagenweg, on a plot of land of 1,5 hectare bought for the club by the St Iero parish.
1922 / The official inauguration of the Roomsch-Katholieke Noordwijksche Sportpark at Lagenweg – also referred to as the Sportpark van het Roomsch-Katholieke Jongenspatronaat, later officially renamed Sportpark Lageweg (note the change of orthography – Lagenweg/Lageweg – brought about by the 1934 spelling changes) – takes place on August 15th, 1922, with RKVV SJC abandoning Terrein De Hoeve and moving into the new ground, where it has two pitches at its disposal. Furthermore, a covered grandstand erected in wood (150 seats) graces the main pitch. In the following years, RKVV SJC rapidly manages to reach the top divisions of the RKF pyramid, with the local butcher, Adriaan van den Berg, doubling as the club’s successful centre-forward, even being called up for the Netherlands’ Roman Catholic national team.
1933 / Foundation of a second football club in Noordwijk, which takes on the name vv Noordwijk. Other than the Roman Catholic RKVV SJC, vv Noordwijk is founded by the staunchly Protestant (Evangelical) part of the town’s population – which frowns on any activities on Sundays due to Sabbath observance. vv Noordwijk joins the Leidsche Voetbalbond (LVB), the Leyden sub-branch of the Netherlands’ Football Association. Not having the luxury of its own accommodation as yet, the new club concludes a groundsharing agreement with RKVV SJC, which means it can use the Roomsch-Katholieke Noordwijksche Sportpark on Saturdays.
1936 / Rescinding its groundsharing agreement with RKVV SJC, vv Noordwijk settles on a newly laid-out pitch at Achterweg.
1940 / Having spent the first two decades of its existence in the ranks of the RKF (IVCB) and its sub-branch DHVB, RKVV SJC is now constrained to make the step to the official Netherlands’ FA (KNVB, renamed NVB following the German oppression of the Netherlands in May 1940, with the royal epithet ‘koninklijk’ being withdrawn for obvious reasons) as all other football associations are abolished by German occupation authorities. Having played at the level of IVCB National Division 1 in its last pre-war season, the club is placed in KNVB District West’s Sunday League 3 for the 1940-41 season.
1942 / At the behest of German occupation authorities, RKVV SJC disbands, ceasing all activities, as its ground at Lageweg has to make way for an allotment garden complex. Part of the players moves to the Roman Catholic club closest to Noordwijk, i.e. VVSB in Noordwijkerhout, for the time being.
1945 / As the Netherlands are liberated from the German yoke, RKVV SJC resumes its activities in Sunday League 3 after three years, with Sportpark Lageweg being laid out anew on the old location. As town rivals vv Noordwijk have been left without a pitch as well, this club joins RKVV SJC at Lageweg for the 1945-46 season.
1946 / Moving away from Terrein Lageweg after one season, vv Noordwijk settles at the newly laid-out Terrein Duinweg – later to move on to Sportpark Duinwetering (in 1950).
1949 / Finishing bottom of the table in District West II’s Sunday League 3A, RKVV SJC descends into Sunday League 4.
1950 / Champions in District West II’s Sunday League 4A, 2 points ahead of closest rivals SV ASC, RKVV SJC fails to book a return ticket to Sunday League 3 in the subsequent round of championship play-offs.
1961 / Champions in District West II’s Sunday League 4A, 3 points ahead of runner-up LVV Lugdunum, RKVV SJC wins promotion to Sunday League 3 after an absence of twelve years at that level.
1963 / Finishing bottom of the table in District West II’s Sunday League 3A, RKVV SJC drops back into Sunday League 4 along with the club in second-last place, RKVV Lisse.
1964 / RKVV SJC finishes as runner-up in District West II’s Sunday League 4A, 2 points behind champions RKVV Van Nispen.
1965 / The inauguration of a new clubhouse at Sportpark Lageweg is performed by Mr Den Otter, alderman for sports affairs of the municipality of Noordwijk, with the construction being blessed by Fr J.P.A. van den Bosch subsequently, on October 16th, 1965. By this time, in spite of the continued good relationship between the club and the St Iero parish, the references to the Roman Catholic origins of SJC are seldom brought to the fore, with the club being referred to mostly as vv SJC or simply SJC. However, the club name, i.e. RKVV SJC, has never been adapted officially.
1969 / Champions in District West II’s Sunday League 4A, 1 point ahead of closest rivals HVV BMT, RKVV SJC wins promotion to Sunday League 3.
1970 / A covered stand, partly constructed in wood, is erected alongside the southern touchline of the main pitch at Sportpark Lageweg.
1971 / Finishing in second-last place in District West II’s Sunday League 3A, RKVV SJC drops back into Sunday League 4 along with bottom club HVV.
1976 / Having been privately owned in the first 54 years of its existence, Sportpark Lageweg now moves into the hands of Noordwijk’s town council. Following this, the park is extended with a third and a fourth pitch.
1979 / Champions in District West II’s Sunday League 4A, 4 points ahead of closest followers HSV ADO, RKVV SJC wins promotion to Sunday League 3. The successful coach is Arie Duindam.
1981 / Champions in District West II’s Sunday League 3A, 4 points ahead of runner-up and derby rivals VVSB, RKVV SJC wins promotion to Sunday League 2 for the first time in club history. The successful coach is Arie Duindam. Also in 1981, an indoor sports hall is added to the set-up at Sportpark Lageweg.
1986 / Finishing in second-last place in District West II’s Sunday League 2A, RKVV SJC drops back into Sunday League 3 after five years, along with bottom club HVV VIOS.
1988 / Champions in District West I’s Sunday League 3C, 2 points ahead of closest followers WFC Rapiditas, RKVV SJC wins promotion to Sunday League 2.
1989 / Finishing bottom of the table in District West II’s Sunday League 2A, RKVV SJC drops back into Sunday League 3 after just one season, along with the club in second-last place, RKSV Altior.
1993 / Champions in District West II’s Sunday League 3A, 2 points ahead of closest rivals vv VEP, RKVV SJC manages a return to Sunday League 2.
1994 / As the Netherlands’ national side spends the last week before travelling to the USA for the 1994 World Cup in Noordwijk, the team, coached by Dick Advocaat, plays a last practice match at Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg in front of a sell-out crowd.
1995 / RKVV SJC finishes as runner-up in District West II’s Sunday League 2A, 5 points behind champions HVV VIOS. Also in 1995, floodlights are added to the set-up at the main pitch of Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg.
1999 / Finishing in second-last place in Sunday League 2C, RKVV SJC descends into Sunday League 3 after six years, along with the club in second-last place, HVV VIOS. Also in 1999, former SJC youth player Mike Zonneveld, who had joined the academy of AFC Ajax several years previously, makes his debut as a professional league player at the age of 19 with Go Ahead Eagles. The midfielder would go on to have spells at NEC, NAC Breda, PSV, FC Groningen, and AEL Limassol, hanging up his boots in 2013.
2000 / Runner-up in District West II’s Sunday League 3A, 11 points behind runaway champions HSV VUC, RKVV SJC manages to force an immediate return to Sunday League 2 via the promotion play-offs.
2002 / Champions in Sunday League 2C, 2 points ahead of closest rivals GC&FC Olympia, RKVV SJC accedes to Sunday League 1 for the first time in club history. The successful coach is Ronald Ebbeling.
2003 / Coached by Ronald Ebbeling, RKVV SJC proves unable to cope with the level of League 1, finishing bottom of the table in Sunday League 1B and dropping back into Sunday League 2 after just one season, along with the club in second-last place, VCS. Also in 2003, 23-year old goalkeeper Joost Terol, who had left RKVV SJC to play for town rivals vv Noordwijk two years previously, signs a professional league contract with FC Utrecht. Terol would go on to have spells with Sparta Rotterdam, PAE Veroia, AEP Paphos FC, AGOVV Apeldoorn, BV De Graafschap, and R Antwerp FC, ultimately hanging up his boots in 2014.
2008 / Runner-up in Sunday League 2C, 2 points behind champions FC Boshuizen, RKVV SJC goes on to win the promotion play-offs, thus managing a return to Sunday League 1 after an absence of five seasons.
2010 / Finishing in fourth place in Sunday League 1B, RKVV SJC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out VPV Purmersteijn in R1 (5-4 aggr.), only to bow out in R2 following defeat at the hands of RKSV Leonidas (5-2 aggr.).
2011 / Runner-up in Sunday League 1B, 1 point behind champions RKAVV, RKVV SJC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by VPV Purmersteijn (7-4 aggr.).
2014 / Finishing in fifth place in Sunday League 1B, RKVV SJC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by RKAVV (5-1 aggr.).
2016 / Finishing in third place in Sunday League 1B, RKVV SJC qualifies for the promotion play-offs. In those play-offs, the club successively has the better of vv Nieuwerkerk (6-3 aggr.) and FC Boshuizen (5-2 aggr.) in the first two rounds, going on to erase RKSV Rohda Raalte in the final (6-1 aggr.). As such, RKVV SJC wins promotion to Zondag Hoofdklasse, i.e. the fourth level of the Netherlands’ football pyramid, for the first time. The successful coach is Kees Zethof.
2017 / Finishing in third place in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, RKVV SJC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club bows out in R1 against HV&CV Quick (5-2 aggr.). In the summer of 2017, RKVV SJC is joined by coach Sjaak Polak from the youth academy of Sparta Rotterdam. Prior to getting into coaching, Sjaak Polak had a long professional league career (1996-2010) as a midfielder at SBV Excelsior, FC Twente, ADO Den Haag, Sparta Rotterdam, BV Veendam, and RBC Roosendaal, before bowing out into non-league at his childhood club SVV Scheveningen and hanging up his boots after a short adventure in the USA at Texas Dutch Lions (2012).
2018 / Champions in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, 6 points ahead of closest followers Achilles 1894, RKVV SJC manages a historic promotion to the newly created second level of the non-league pyramid, Derde Divisie (National Division 3) – and the fourth level of the Netherlands’ football pyramid as a whole. The decisive points are clinched in a 2-1 away win over Achilles 1894 at Sportpark Marsdijk in Assen. The successful coach is Sjaak Polak. Due to a dearth of Saturday teams to fill up the Saturday branch of National Division 3, RKVV SJC is requested by FA authorities to take its place in this division rather than in the Sunday Division 3. Also in 2018, municipal authorities in Noordwijk take the decision to undertake a complete renovation of Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg – this following a similar renovation of Sportpark Duinwetering of vv Noordwijk, which saw the construction of a new clubhouse alongside a newly laid-out main pitch (2012-15).
2019 / Proving unable to cope with the D3 level, RKVV SJC – still coached by Sjaak Polak – finishes in third-last place in Saturday Division 3, dropping back into Hoofdklasse along with vv Eemdijk, ASV De Dijk, and bottom club RKSV Achilles ’29. Following one year in the Saturday pyramid, RKVV SJC now takes its place in Zondag Hoofdklasse again. Also in 2019, awaiting the renovation of Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg, vv SJC abandons its old clubhouse, moving to a temporary clubhouse near the entrance of the park on April 8th. The old premises, of which the oldest parts date back to 1965, are knocked down.
2020 / In May 2020, the groundbreaking ceremony takes place for the new clubhouse at Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg. Meanwhile, a synthetic surface is laid out on the main pitch, while works are carried out to turn Pitch/Veld 3 (the northernmost pitch of the park, one of the two pitches added to the ground in the late 1970s) into the new main pitch. Partly due to the outbreak of COVID and the ensuing lockdowns, the original completion date of the renovation works (September 2020) is not met. Also in 2020, coach Sjaak Polak leaves RKVV SJC after three seasons, becoming the head coach of the ladies’ team of ADO Den Haag.
2022 / Finishing in fourth place in Zondag Hoofdklasse A, RKVV SJC qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is knocked out in R1 by vv OJC Rosmalen (7-0 aggr.). For the 2022-23 season, Zondag Hoofdklasse is renamed Zondag Vierde Divisie (Sunday National Division 4) as the fifth and lowest tier of the national league pyramid – to be amalgamated into a combined Vierde Divisie of Sunday and Saturday clubs from 2023 onwards. Also in 2022, on September 25th – after a delay of two full years – the renovated Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg, its new clubhouse with a (partly) covered stand, and its new sports hall are finally opened officially in the presence of Mrs Wendy Verkleij, the mayor of Noordwijk. This coincides with the inauguration of the new main pitch, with a hybrid surface, at the northernmost end of the park. The temporary clubhouse at the entrance of the park is knocked down to make way for a small 3G pitch for youth matches.
2024 / The grandstand alongside the former main pitch (Pitch/Veld 4 from 2022 on) at the southern end of Gemeentelijk Sportpark Lageweg is knocked down in January 2024, 54 years after its inauguration.

Note – Below, a compilation of photos of two different visits: pictures 1-18 = match visit, June 2016 / pictures 19-20 = non-matchday visit, January 2026 (side-pitch of the renovated Sportpark Lageweg II, grandstand removed).