Red Devil Thorgan Hazard opens first West Flemish Belgian Red Court in Waregem
Waregem youngsters are the first to kick a ball on the new social football field at the training complex of Essevee
Red Devil Thorgan Hazard wants all the Waregem youngsters to play football. As a former Zulte Waregem player, he is the proud ambassador of the fifth Belgian Red Court in our country, the first on West Flemish soil. Together with young people from the neighbourhood, he tested the new football hotspot today. The football field should bring young and old together through football, make the sport more accessible and promote social cohesion.
Since 2020, the RBFA has been transforming outdated football fields into contemporary mini-football temples. It does this with the support of Proximus , Adidas and the players of the National Lottery. After Lier, Hasselt, Sint-Niklaas and Lokeren, it is now the turn of the city of Waregem. In the coming years, another 35 Belgian Red Courts are planned.
In Waregem, Thorgan Hazard takes on the ambassadorship. Hazard became well-known between 2012 and 2014 as a midfielder at SV Zulte Waregem. He narrowly missed the title in 2013 but won the Golden Shoe in the shirt of SV Zulte Waregem in 2014. Although he comes from Braine-le-Comte and currently plays for PSV Eindhoven, Waregem has a special place in his heart. Together with Football & Social Responsibility Specialist of the RBFA Robin Cnops, alderman of Youth Jo Neirynck and a number of young people from Waregem, he officially inaugurated the site between the sports complex of Essevee and Waregem Expo today with a game of football.
“It is an honour for me to be able to participate in a special project such as the Belgian Red Courts. Football should be accessible to everyone, and projects that strive for this deserve my support. The fact that I can be an ambassador in Waregem, the city where I took my first steps in Belgian professional football, makes it even more beautiful. I can't wait to see how this football field will grow into a gathering place for football players from all walks of life in the near future.”
– Thorgan Hazard, ambassador Belgian Red Court Waregem
“As mayor, I am happy that we have a new football spot in our city with the Red Court. We strive to provide places, spread throughout the city, where it is fun to play, relax and do sports. Because whether it's in a club or just kicking a ball on the square around the corner: sport is good for your health, and you learn values about playing together. It is also very nice that someone like Thorgan Hazard, who made an important contribution to football in Waregem and also won the Golden Shoe during that period, wants to support the project as an ambassador.”
– Kurt Vanryckeghem, mayor of Waregem
The search for Red Court Coaches
The opening of the Red Court in Waregem also marked the start of numerous activities on the decorated football field. For example, football matches are organised, but other activities are also organized to promote social cohesion in the city. The RBFA is looking for two Red Court Coaches to organize these activities. These are football-crazy and socially engaged young people who, together with an employee of the city, on a voluntary basis, want to transform the Belgian Red Courts into football meccas and increase the sense of community. Interested parties can register via robin.cnops@rbfa.be.