Trainers

I’m Digna Poelman, head coach at VBSK Albert Cuyp – the ‘Cradle of Champions’. As a former competitive athlete, I’ve competed at national level in gymnastics, figure skating, and boxing. I started coaching and assisting young gymnasts at the age of thirteen. That drive to coach athletes in performance remained. At the age of sixteen I started boxing at VBSK. Boxing changed my life at that moment. I fought my first official matches unde...

For as long as I can remember, boxing has been at the center of my life. As a boxer, I became Irish Light Heavyweight Champion. As a coach, I have dedicated my career to developing champions. I spent more than 24 years in the ring as a competitive boxer and 29 years as a coach at the highest level of the sport. Over the years I earned an Irish professional boxing license, a 3-star Irish and Dutch coaching license, and a 3-star Olympic...

I’ve practiced many sports, including boxing in my youth. After a period of making the wrong choices and not knowing what to do with my life, I eventually found my way to a sports education through my father. I graduated as a social sports coach (working with at-risk youth and people who have come into contact with the justice system and need to reintegrate into society). During this education I learned how to teach in a structured and...

I’m Jorgen, 49 years old, and since the age of 15 I’ve been fascinated by the “noble art of self defence.” I learned boxing at Boxing School Leiden, at the time under the guidance of Chris Lantrok. Drawn to competition, I soon made the move to The Hague, where I fought my first bouts at Boxing School Kristalijn — a traditional boxing gym with a strong roster of amateur and professional fighters. Due to study and work, I eventually tra...

Gilbert started boxing at the age of nine. He was actually too young, but insisted on training with the “big boys.” Soon after, he joined Boxing School VBSK Albert Cuyp. He had two major role models: his father Cees and Muhammad Ali. During his boxing career, Gilbert became Dutch junior champion twice and Dutch senior champion three times. At the age of 24, he decided to turn professional. Not without success — his highest ranking was...

I have been boxing since I was thirteen years old. As a coach, I have been leading groups for about six to seven years. For me, boxing is not just a sport, but an ongoing process of learning and growing, physically and mentally. As a boxer, I gained both national and international experience. In 2019, I became Dutch champion. I also won silver at the Strandja tournament in Sofia, a tournament often considered tougher than the World Cha...

I have now been active as a boxing trainer for four years. With my background in the NASM program and my current education toward the KSS2 coaching certification, I continue to develop myself within the sport. Every Thursday I coach the 35+ group. What characterizes me as a trainer is that I try to explain everything as clearly and well as possible, always with a smile. I believe it’s important that everyone feels comfortable and under...