ZUNDERT - The team of Zundert, the current number two in the Dutch premier league for teams, has quickly found a substitute for Peter Ceulemans. The Belgian, who will leave for Team Eekhoorn starting next season, will be replaced by 22-year-old Dutchman Sam van Etten. He will be the fourth player on the team in which Roland Forthomme is the leading player. "We think he is a player who can show nice progression in the future'', says Rinske van Beers-Snellen, speaking for the team.
"This step will surely have consequences for my career, I already played three cushion in Dirk Snip's team on a lower level, but this new step means that I will try to develop even further. Therefore, my participations in the classic tournaments will be less. And actually I was ready for a next step in three cushion. So I'm very happy with this chance. I have monthly practice session from Raimond Burgman, the federation coach, but I am going to invest even more now, because this motivates me enormously. I will spend less time and energy in the preparation of Dutch championships in the classic disciplines now. The move to the Premier League means that I will give it all for that. It's super cool that I get this opportunity from Zundert.''
Sam van Etten is well known as a specialist in classic games with two European titles and a leading role in the Dutch championships in recent years. He is a product from the North Holland billiard school Horna. In three cushion, Sam van Etten is a player who is still at the start of a great career. Last year he played in a World Cup, but he came to the conclusion that it was still too early. "First I want to develop further in three cushion before I start playing internationally.''
In the STZ Zundert team, the young Dutchman fulfilled a role as a substitute in the past two years. Rinske van Beers: "He now will be the regular player at fourth position. We still are motivated with with STZ Zundert that the youth should have opportunities. We are happy that Sam has promised to join the team permanently.''