BELGIUM: K Olympic Koolskamp (1947-2010)

Sint-Maartensveld, Koolskamp (AC 't Rozeke & FC Seys Roelens, formerly K Olympic Koolskamp)

Belgium, province: West Flanders

17 IV 2022 / AC 't Rozeke - FC De Geite 1-2 / Trofee Ereschepen Geert Messiaen, semi-final

Note 1: Olympic Koolskamp, founded in 1947 (matricule 4856), acquired the royal epithet in 1998. In 2010, the club folded, but its ground at Sint-Maartensveldstraat has remained in use as several recreational teams play their football there, notably AC 't Rozeke (playing in the league system of Roeselaars Liefhebbersverbond or RLV) and FC Seys Roelens (Cup Regio Mid-West league). AC 't Rozeke have played at Sint-Maartensveld from ±2000 onwards, when the club moved away from their old ground at Café 't Rozeke, situated further southwards at the same street, Sint-Maartensveldstraat. In 2022, a third club settled down in Koolskamp, the new RLV team FC Allemanshotters.

Note 2: To my astonishment, AC 't Rozeke's team at my match visit in April 2022 turned out to include a former Polish international player, 51-year-old Grzegorz Wędzyński. In the course of his career, Mr Wędzyński played for clubs like Polonia Warsaw, ŁKS Łódź, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Rishon-Le-Zion, and Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona. In 1998 and 1999, he played two international games for Poland. Upon retiring as a player, he attempted a coaching career in Poland before heading to the USA to found the Polonia New York Soccer Club. He settled in Belgium temporarily to allow his children to be educated in the excellent Flemish school system.

Note 3: Below, a compilation of photos of two different visits: pictures 1-5 = non-matchday visit, March 2020 / pictures 6-22 = match visit, April 2022.

All photos: (c) W.B. Tukker / www.extremefootballtourism.blogspot.com. Publication of any of these images only after permission of author