Extreme Football Tourism: NETHERLANDS: RKSV DAW (1961-1964, 1966-2017) / DAW Schaijk (2017-)

Gemeentelijk Sportpark D'n Heuvel (DAW Schaijk, formerly RKSV DAW)

Netherlands, province: North Brabant = Noord-Brabant

24 XI 2024 / DAW Schaijk - RKHVV 2-1 / District South I, League 1D (= NL level 6)

Timeline

1921 / Foundation of a first football club in Schaijk, Tubantia, under the auspices of the local Roman-Catholic church. As most other clubs in the region, Tubantia does not apply for membership of the official Netherlands’ Football Association (NVB, later KNVB), joining the Roman-Catholic league association RKVB (Roomsch-Katholieke Voetbalbond Den Bosch), a sub-branch of the Roomsch-Katholieke Federatie (RKF). It is unclear where Tubantia’s pitch was situated.
1929 / Tubantia changes its name to become ADO (Aanhouden Doet Overwinnen).
1934 / After an existence of thirteen years, ADO in Schaijk folds, ceasing all activities.
1939 / Refoundation of a football club in Schaijk, which takes on the name SSV (Schaijkse Sportvereniging). The first chairman is Egbert Kusters. Like its predecessor, the club joins the RKF rather than the KNVB. SSV’s first pitch is situated at the back of Schaijk’s parish hall, with the clubhouse being Café Van Herpen.
1940 / Having spent the first year of its existence in the RKF, SSV is now constrained to make the step to the official Netherlands’ FA (renamed NVB following the German oppression of the Netherlands, abandoning the royal epithet ‘koninklijk’ for obvious reasons) as all other football associations are abolished by German occupation authorities. For the 1940-41 season, the club is placed in Division 2 (Maasbuurt region) of the so-called NBVB (Noord-Brabantse Voetbalbond), the NVB sub-branch organising league football in the Province of North Brabant below the level of (K)NVB Sunday League 4.
1942 / Clinching the title in NBVB Division 2 (Maasbuurt), SSV wins promotion to NBVB Division 1 (Maasbuurt) following a set of championship play-offs against RKSV Festilent. The successful coach is Jo van Gerwen, actually a resident of nearby Oss who went into hiding in Schaijk to escape German occupation authorities. SSV (DAW) must have dropped back into Division 2 (Maasbuurt) between 1944 and 1947, but no information on the matter is available.
1945 / SSV officially changes its name to become RKSV DAW, Rooms-Katholieke Sportvereniging ‘De Aanhouder Wint’; possibly, the inspiration for the name was derived from a corporate football club from nearby Oss, Organon Boys, founded in 1935, which changed its name to become DAW following that club’s promotion to Sunday League 4 in 1937. This ‘first’ DAW folded in 1942, two years after having dropped back into the ranks of the NBVB. Also in 1945, RKVV DAW settles on a new pitch, Terrein Heidelust, situated at the back of the house of the local GP, Mr Langendijk, at Udensedreef.
1947 / After two years at Terrein Heidelust, RKSV DAW moves to Terrein P. Wingens.
1948 / Clinching the title in NBVB Division 2 (Maasbuurt), RKSV DAW wins promotion to NBVB Division 1 (Maasbuurt).
1952 / Obtaining the title in NBVB Division 1, RKSV DAW manages a historic promotion to KNVB District South I’s Sunday League 4. Also in 1952, possibly because Terrein P. Wingens was not in conformity with the rules laid down by the KNVB for league football, RKSV DAW moves to Terrein Ties van der Heijden, on the northern side of the highway bisecting the municipality of Schaijk.
1954 / Finishing at the bottom of the table of District South I’s Sunday League 4C, RKSV DAW drops back into the ranks of the NBVB after two years.
1957 / Moving away from Terrein Ties van der Heijden, RKSV DAW settles on the newly laid-out Terrein M. van de Wijst at Udensedreef.
1960 / Due to problems with the surface at Terrein M. van de Wijst, RKSV DAW moves to a temporary pitch laid out at Schaijkse Hoek (at the back of the house owned by C. van Kreij).
1961 / After one year at Terrein Schaijkse Hoek, RKSV DAW moves into the newly laid-out Terrein Bossestraat, not far from Schaijk’s village centre.
1964 / As Terrein Bossestraat is overhauled by Schaijk’s municipal authorities, who intend to turn it into a larger sports park, RKSV DAW moves to a temporary pitch laid out at Camping Marga.
1966 / Inauguration of the newly laid-out Gemeentelijk Sportpark Bossestraat – later renamed Gemeentelijk Sportpark D’n Heuvel – by Schaijk’s mayor, Mr Schouten. The main pitch of the park is located in the same position as DAW’s main pitch in the 1961-64 period.
1968 / Dressing rooms are inaugurated at Gemeentelijk Sportpark Bossestraat.
1973 / A clubhouse, constructed on the western side of the main pitch, is inaugurated at Gemeentelijk Sportpark Bossestraat.
1978 / Clinching the title in NBVB Division 1, RKSV DAW manages a return to Sunday League 4 after an absence of 24 years.
1982 / Obtaining the title in District South I’s Sunday League 4A, 2 points ahead of runners-up RKVV Erp, RKSV DAW wins promotion to Sunday League 3 for the first time in club history.
1983 / Inauguration of a grandstand on the northern side of DAW’s main pitch at Sportpark D’n Heuvel.
1987 / Finishing in second-last place in District South I’s Sunday League 3B, RKSV DAW drops back into Sunday League 4 along with bottom club RKSV Boxtel.
1988 / Champions in District South I’s Sunday League 4A, 3 points ahead of closest followers – and derby rivals – RKSV HVCH, RKSV DAW manages an immediate return to Sunday League 3.
1990 / Finishing in second-last place in District South I’s Sunday League 3B, RKSV DAW drops back into Sunday League 4 along with bottom club vv Beerse Boys.
1993 / Finishing in second-last place in District South I’s Sunday League 4A, RKSV DAW descends into NBVB Hoofdklasse along with bottom club RKSV Achilles Reek.
1996 / Upon the abolition of all KNVB sub-branches, including the NBVB, RKSV DAW is placed in District South II’s Sunday League 5.
1999 / Coached by Gerard van Zwam, RKSV DAW clinches the title in District South II’s Sunday League 5G, 12 points ahead of runners-up GVV ’57, thus winning promotion to Sunday League 4.
2000 / A renovation of Sportpark D’n Heuvel sees a veranda being added to the clubhouse, while the 17-year-old grandstand is given a new look as well.
2002 / RKSV DAW finishes as runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, 1 point behind champions SV Avanti ’31.
2003 / Coached by Niek Nelissen, RKSV DAW finishes in last place in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, thus dropping back into Sunday League 5 along with the club finishing in second-last place, EVVC.
2005 / Coached by former professional league midfielder (at TOP, 1991-92) Mart van Lokven, RKSV DAW clinches the title in District South II’s Sunday League 5H, 6 points ahead of closest followers EVVC, thus managing a return to Sunday League 4 after an absence of two years.
2009 / Coached by Jurgen van Wanrooij, RKSV DAW finishes in second-last place in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, thus descending into Sunday League 5 along with bottom club SES.
2010 / Runaway champions in District South II’s Sunday League 5H, 13 points ahead of closest rivals RKSV Avesteyn, RKSV DAW manages an immediate return to Sunday League 4. The successful coach is Jurgen van Wanrooij. Also in 2010, a decision by municipal authorities to move RKSV DAW to a new-to-be-built ground elsewhere in Schaijk is reversed; subsequently, an architect is commissioned to design a new clubhouse at Sportpark D’n Heuvel. Moreover, in October 2010, the inauguration takes place of DAW’s new synthetic pitch, laid out on pitch 2 of Sportpark D’n Heuvel, with a gala match against FC Den Bosch (1-4).
2011 / Runners-up in District South II’s Sunday League 4H, 9 points behind champions RKVV DESO, RKSV DAW qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club eliminates RKSV Venhorst in R1 (2-2 aggr. & penalty shoot-out), before being eliminated in R2 by EVVC (5-2 aggr.).
2012 / Champions in District South II’s Sunday League 4G, a whopping 13 points ahead of closest followers SV Milsbeek, RKSV DAW wins promotion to Sunday League 3 after an absence of 25 years at that level. The successful coach is Henry van Wanrooij. On June 19th, 2012, the first stone is laid for DAW’s new clubhouse at Sportpark D’n Heuvel by Landerd’s mayor, Mr W.C. Doorn, and DAW’s chairman H.J.M. Lamers.
2013 / On February 23rd, 2013, RKSV DAW’s new two-tiered clubhouse at Sportpark D’n Heuvel is inaugurated by Landerd’s alderman for sports affairs, Peter Raaijmakers. In the 2012-13 season, finishing in fourth place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, RKSV DAW qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by IVO (3-3 aggr. & penalty shoot-out).
2016 / Finishing in third place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, RKSV DAW qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club knocks out RKVV MVC ’19 in R1 (5-2 aggr.) to qualify for the group stage against Oranje Zwart Helmond and RKVV ODC, with Oranje Zwart Helmond winning promotion on goal difference at the expense of RKSV DAW.
2017 / Finishing in fourth place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, RKSV DAW qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club is eliminated in R1 by Sparta ’18 (4-3 aggr.). Also in 2017, RKSV DAW concludes a merger with the local netball club, EMOS, with the club changing its name to become DAW Schaijk as a result.
2018 / Finishing in sixth place in District South II’s Sunday League 3D, DAW Schaijk qualifies for the play-offs, knocking out SV Budel (0-3) and HBSV (0-6) in the first two rounds, however suffering defeat in the final at the hands of vv Berghem Sport (1-2). In a lucky loser final, DAW Schaijk clinches its second opportunity by defeating vv Alfa Sport (2-4), thus winning a first-ever promotion to Sunday League 2. The successful coach is Rob van de Ven.
2022 / Finishing in third place in District South II’s Sunday League 2F, DAW Schaijk qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club reaches the final following successive victories over RKVV Brabantia (0-3) and SVSSS (2-3). In the last match, however, the club is knocked out by SC Kruisland (3-0), thus ultimately missing out on promotion.
2023 / Runners-up in Sunday League 2G, 1 point behind champions RKSV Sparta ’25, DAW Schaijk qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club has the better of RVU in R1 (5-1), only to suffer elimination at the hands of vv Schaesberg in R2 (2-3).
2024 / Runners-up in Sunday League 2E, 5 points behind champions vv Boekel Sport, DAW Schaijk qualifies for the play-offs, drawing a bye in R1 and eliminating RKSV Rhode in R2 – and it proves third time lucky for the club, as, in its third successive attempt to win a historic promotion to League 1 in the play-offs, the club defeats RVU in the final (3-0). The successful coach is (still) Rob van de Ven.