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The battle of GSBC AMOR for a spot in the Premier league

For the players of the first team of GSBC AMOR the season is anything but over. They have to play two more matches on the 12th and 26th of March against BV van Zijderveld, the number nine from last season’s Premier league. If they manage to top the first team of BV van Zijderveld it will be the first time for the 50 year old GSBC AMOR to have a team playing at the highest level of the Dutch Badminton league.

However before this unique opportunity can be ceased BV van Zijderveld has to be beaten. For GSBC AMOR it has been a real nail biter right up until the last duel of the regular season. It was all but certain that the first team would be able to participate in the playoffs for the new Premier league season. But their last formidable 7 – 1 triumph over BC Iduna from Utrecht did the trick.

“Having a team that plays in the Premier league is not really a goal of our badminton club” said the chairman of GSBC AMOR Marco Holtrop. “I think we have an extremely motivated group of players spread out over, not only the first, but all teams at AMOR. Everyone trains very hard although the focus is mainly on having a great time and not per se on being the best of the best. Because we are and always will be a student association.” Does that mean that if AMOR wins there will be no serious changes to cope with the higher level? “If we win we will of course look for new ways to improve as much as we can. We want to show our best in the Premier league and I think that there are plenty of possibilities in this area.”

AMOR 1 and its members Brent Maarsingh, Marco de Jager, Remko Bakker, Meike Brul, Marianka Wajer and Celine Juel had a sound season. They reached the fourth place in the first league where Smashing 1 topped the pool, enough to qualify for the playoff. There will be a home- and away match, each meeting needs a winner. If both clubs win a meeting, a golden game will be played to battle out who will be playing in the Premier league next year.

The difference however between the first league and the Premier league is big, the team really has to give everything they have if they want to win this decisive duel. ‘’We are the underdog, but we certainly stand a chance’’  according to trainer Rik Wilbers. ‘’If everyone performs at their top level we definitely have a great chance to win.’’  Readiness therefore will be a decisive factor for the students from Groningen.

Sunday the 12th of March the first of the two matches will be played at 14:00 in Groningen in the Struikhal of the ACLO Sportcentrum, this will be the home match of GSBC AMOR. Two weeks after this first showdown the second and decisive match will be played in Amstelveen. GSBC AMOR invites everyone to come and see the duel on the 12th of March.

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