Wheelchair tennis player Maarten ter Hofte new Reggeborgh Foundation 'Green Apple'
RIJSSEN – Reggeborgh Foundation will support wheelchair tennis player Maarten ter Hofte from Goor. Ter Hofte (20) has the honour of being the first para-athlete to be included in the Green Apples programme. As part of that partnership, the talented wheelchair tennis player can count on financial support, knowledge and expertise for his career in elite sports.
Reggeborgh Foundation recently launched the new Green Apples initiative. It will support young adult sporting talent so they can focus fully on their mission. Judoka Jelle Snippe was presented as the first 'Green Apple' in April. Ter Hofte is the first para-athlete to be included in this programme. He has spina bifida, which reduces muscle strength in his lower legs. As a 7-year-old boy, he did not envisage wheelchair tennis ever becoming his sport. Playing football was his passion, but when his legs could no longer carry him, he exchanged his football boots for a tennis racket. It turned out to be a golden move; soon Ter Hofte was scouted as a talent for the Dutch national tennis talent programme, which he is still part of.
‘The fact that I now also belong to the Reggeborgh sports family is really amazing. I just belong. It makes me, my family and those around me immensely proud. It motivates me even more to pursue my dreams and hopefully compete at the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028.’
- Maarten ter Hofte
His dream might just come true sooner. There is a chance he will make his debut as a doubles partner at this year’s Paralympics in Paris. Ter Hofte is currently in top shape and has shot up the world rankings as a result.
Reggeborgh Foundation is known in the sporting world for the Reggeborgh speed skating team, which has achieved great success in recent years. Gymnast Sanne Wevers and hand cyclist Jennette Jansen are also supported by Reggeborgh Foundation on their way to the Games in Paris. With the Green Apples programme, the Foundation has added a branch. ‘We think it’s important that both able-bodied athletes and para-athletes are seen and supported. Maarten ter Hofte has been a huge sports fan from a young age and with his disability, he shows how to maximise his talent. Every week, we receive his match reports from all over the world. The tremendous growth he’s experiencing now is impressive and wonderful to follow. This makes Maarten a real source of inspiration for many and we are extremely proud that he is our first para-athlete in the Green Apples programme,’ said Inge Wessels of Reggeborgh Foundation.
