The season is only a few weeks old, yet — for the first time in a while — Antwerp’s volleyball clubs are stepping out of the shadows.

Two consecutive wins for Thuismakers Brabo Antwerp VT’s men and an unbeaten women’s team after three matchdays — quite remarkable. So we asked coaches Raf Vekemans (in his third season with the men’s team) and Cristina Moga (ten years at the helm of the women’s team) about the reasons behind this success and their ambitions.
“I had to comfort my son all evening — his team Achel was eliminated in the cup quarterfinals by Menen in a tiebreak,” Cristina begins.

“But I’m a happy coach,” she laughs. “Two away wins against Noorderkempen and Michelbeke. It took some time to adjust to the halls — so we lost both first sets — but once the tension was gone, we played freely. And at home, we beat Charleroi, one of the top teams in the league. We were leading 21-17 in the third set after going up 2-0, lost that one, but took the tiebreak with pure determination.”

What’s different from last season?
Moga: “We only had to replace two players, so most of the group already knew what was expected from them. That allowed for a shorter preseason and a fresher start. The newcomers — Emilie Standaert (ex-Geel) and Annelore Engels (ex-Gent) — adapted quickly. And girls from our second team are regularly given opportunities, which fits perfectly with the club’s philosophy.”

What are your team’s strengths?
“Our team spirit. We work hard in training and fight for every point, as we showed against Charleroi. Our serve puts opponents under pressure, and we have a good balance of experience and young talent. Players like Britt Ruysschaert, Sara De Donder, Luna Van Peel, and Caitlin Van de Perre have been with us for years. Every match is a challenge, though, because our bench isn’t deep.
For the cup match against Bevo Roeselare, we only had seven players due to injuries. But we have a fantastic group and strong support staff, so as a coach I never feel alone. Last year, we just missed the top 6. I don’t want to set a ranking goal, but I’m sure this group will keep improving as the season goes on.”

Raf Vekemans: “Very happy at Antwerp”
Men’s coach Raf Vekemans is also pleased to continue his third season with Brabo Antwerp.
“It’s great to see how the club has progressed — sportively, organizationally, and financially — in recent years,” he says.

Still, he stays realistic:
“The top-six teams clearly have more quality. We can only grab points against them if they have an off day and we play our best volleyball. Against Aalst in the cup and Roeselare in the league, the difference was clear. Against Roeselare, we deliberately rested Jeroen Oprins, giving Warre Vandecruys the chance to gain experience as an opposite.”

“That’s part of our philosophy — giving young talents playing time. We’ll have to stick to that approach again this week after Robbe Van Loon’s serious knee injury, which could keep him out for weeks or months. He’ll be replaced in the middle by Thibo Verbuyst (Hofstade), a physically strong player who can definitely add value.”

How does this group differ from last year’s?
“We already made progress last season and managed to pass Guibertin at the bottom of the table in the playoffs. This summer, we strengthened the team in a targeted way. The newcomers — setter Markus Held (Limax, and in the extended Dutch national team), Robbe Van Loon (Achtel) and Gertjan Vande Velde (Guibertin) — have already proven their worth. Against teams outside the top six, we should be able to perform strongly.”

“In line with the club’s philosophy, we’ve also deepened our collaboration with Oxaco to continue developing and integrating young talents.”

And with a smile:
“We even welcomed a national team player — Gorik Lantsoght! A great story. I’m also proud that Lasse Van Genechten and Joppe Wolters (now at Maaseik) were able to train with the extended Red Dragons squad. It shows our youth development is working.”

“This club wants to grow. Step by step, we’re combining young potential with experience to build a stronger future — within our means. Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Article: MC
Photo : Thuismakers Brabo Antwerp