Sport for Equality Role Models: Erik van Haaren
Sport for equality role models in ENGSO's new campaign, led by the Equality Within Sport Committee. The aim of the initiative is to highlight the exceptional work our role models are doing in promoting and supporting equal and inclusive communities in sport, and to raise awarness on the daily challenges they are facing.
Equality to me means, providing equal opportunities and treatment that does not depend on personal characteristics, with proper moral and ethical sense.
Since May 2023, Erik van Haaren is ENGSO Youth Committee member, representing ENGSO member Dutch Olympic Committee and Dutch Sports federation (NOC*NSF). He is a sports psychologist that also works with NOC*NSF at the Center for Safe Sports The Netherlands.
Meet Erik:
From a very young age I have been very interested in sports. I often watched sports broadcasts on TV with my parents but was also happy when I had my field hockey stick in my hands or when I was on my racing bike.
That is why I always aspired to work in sports. After first working in social care for several years, I started studying psychology and then completed a master’s degree in sports psychology. This was the start for me to begin as an entrepreneur and establish my own company Headwint sportpsychology. As a sports psychologist, I now coach several talents and high-performance athletes to improve their mental performance. I get very satisfied with this work because I really enjoy when I notice that I can contribute to the development and performance of an athlete.
Besides this job, I work for the NOC*NSF (Dutch Olympic Committee and Dutch Sports federation). Here I work at the Center for Safe Sports The Netherlands. This is a special department which serves as a knowledge center and reporting center for situations around transgressive behavior. Topics that are regularly discussed are for example: discrimination, (sexual) harassment, and bullying. Together with my colleagues, we feel that we are making Dutch sports society safer. Although the content of the work often does not highlight the most beautiful side of sport, this work provides a lot of satisfaction when you feel you can really help someone else.
Since last May I am part of the ENGSO-Youth committee as vice-chair. Here I work mostly on the working groups ‘Health’ and ‘Sports Diplomacy’. It gives me a lot of energy to work together with the other Committee Members and Young Delegates for a better sports world for the youth.
My favourite sport is Cycling. As a dutchman, this was predictable of course.
SPORT FOR EQUALITY
