Boxing in Vlissingen | DOS, boxing history and training

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Introduction

History of this sport

Boxing began in an attic after the war. DOS Boxing Club was founded in Vlissingen in 1945. Because there was no suitable sports hall after the war, training began in the chairman’s attic. The boxers later moved to the hall at the ULO school. They trained on Tuesday and Friday evenings; the competitive boxers also met on Sunday mornings. At the time, DOS had thirteen competitive boxers.

The Concertgebouw became a boxing venue. In the 1950s and 1960s, DOS organized boxing galas at the Vlissingen Concertgebouw. The ring was initially on stage and later in the middle of the hall. Brothers Frans and Rinus Rieteco, Kees van de Gruyter, Hans Lubig, Jos Jasperse, and Bert van Hove were among the boxers of that era. Those who usually traveled around the country for a bout could step into the ring here in front of their home crowd. Boxing thus became an event in city life.

After 1968, a different setting. After 1968, boxing matches at the Concertgebouw came to an end. The new De Baskensburg sports hall became DOS’s next venue. The matches remained in Vlissingen but lost the theatrical setting that had made the earlier galas so distinctive.

From club tradition to different forms of training. DOS now trains in the sports hall on Nieuw Bonedijkelaan. Bokskade on Gildeweg also offers Olympic boxing, punching bag and pad training, and Parkinson’s boxing, among other activities. This gives Vlissingen space for competitive sport and for people who put on the gloves for a different purpose.

Local connections

A ring in the heart of city life. DOS boxing galas at the Concertgebouw brought athletes, volunteers and spectators together in a striking setting: a cultural hall temporarily transformed into a competition venue. For many boxers, a home bout felt different from a match elsewhere. After 1968, the competition moved to De Baskensburg sports hall.

Experience rooted in the city. DOS’s history spans the first postwar training venues, generations of competitors, and trainers such as André Step. Today, Bokskade, under the guidance of Thomas Breure, offers several forms of boxing training. In their own ways, both places contribute to Vlissingen’s boxing culture.

A port city, more than one sporting goal. In Vlissingen in the 1950s and 1960s, boxing galas drew crowds from a city of dockworkers and artisans. Today, someone who boxes doesn’t have to aim for competition: technique, fitness and adapted training can each be their own reason to put on the gloves.

Martial arts facts

Founding of DOS Boxing Club: 1945
DOS to De Baskensburg: In 1968

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Clubs and training locations

Training in this city

DOS on Nieuw Bonedijkelaan. Boksclub DOS trains in the sports hall of the community school on Nieuw Bonedijkelaan, opposite the Harlekijn by Pablo Picassoplein. There are classes for men and women, juniors, and competitive boxers. Ask the club for the current schedule and options for a beginner group.

Bokskade on Gildeweg. Bokskade is located at Gildeweg 19c in Vlissingen and operates by appointment. Its offerings include Olympic boxing, punching bag and pad training, and Parkinson’s boxing. These training sessions have different goals; choose the format that suits what you want to achieve through boxing.

Technique and progression. A new boxer first learns stance, footwork, distance, and controlled punches. Then combinations, partner work, and possibly sparren become more important. Ask during a trial class about the entry level, contact during the class, and how the trainer corrects your technique. Competitive boxing is one path, not the benchmark for every participant.

Choose a club

Start with your goal. Do you want to learn boxing technique, improve your fitness, or eventually compete in boxing? A beginner class, a heavy bag workout, and a competition group can be very different. Ask several providers in Vlissingen which option suits your experience and whether you can take part without sparren.

Compare the coaching. During an introductory session, you’ll notice whether a trainer clearly explains footwork, guard, and controlled punching. Ask how new members get started, when partner drills are introduced, and how contact levels are increased. Young people and those taking part in adapted boxing may need different coaching and expectations.

Check the practical details. A suitable class also needs to be easy to get to and fit into your week. Compare current schedules, group sizes, trial class options, and what equipment you need. Don’t judge by a club’s name or history alone: the day-to-day training determines whether you’ll enjoy coming back.

Make your own choice. If possible, try more than one class and pay attention to the atmosphere, the instruction, and the opportunity to learn at your level. The best place is the one where training feels safe and enjoyable and suits what you want to achieve with boxing. No single club is automatically the right choice for everyone.

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Athletes with a connection to this city

Roel Tiessens and the Concertgebouw years. Tiessens started boxing at DOS in 1964 at the age of fifteen. In his first three years, he became champion in his division, the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. A home match made him more nervous than a bout outside Zeeland. In 1968, he emigrated to Canada; in 1973, he boxed a few more bouts in Quebec.

Hans Lubig in the postwar ring. Lubig started boxing at DOS after the war, at the age of sixteen. In the mid-1950s, he became South Holland and Zeeland heavyweight champion. He fought many of his bouts at the Concertgebouw and moved to Canada in 1958, where he continued to compete.

André Step as a boxer. Step took part in DOS's boxing galas at the Concertgebouw as a competitive boxer and remained undefeated there. After his active years, he helped train new generations of boxers from Vlissingen.

Justin Schiewold and the next generation. In February 2010, Schiewold, boxing for DOS, won a final against Abdullah Khassouv by 3-0. The result qualified him for the A class, though he wanted to gain more competitive experience first. His move to the top class shows that even after the Concertgebouw years, competitive boxers from Vlissingen continued to compete at the national level.

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Trainers with a connection to this city

André Step: from competitive boxer to trainer. Step boxed for DOS during the Concertgebouw years and remained active as a trainer for more than four decades. In this way, he passed on his experience from the competition ring to new generations of boxers from Vlissingen.

Thomas Breure at Bokskade. Breure is a boxing trainer and coach at Bokskade. He holds an NOC*NSF-recognized NBB KSS3 qualification and is trained as a Parkinson's boxing trainer. He supports boxers in their athletic and personal development, from Olympic boxing to adapted training for people with Parkinson's.

Coaching at DOS. At DOS, qualified trainers teach classes for various groups, including juniors and competitive boxers. Anyone wanting to get started in Vlissingen can ask which training suits their age, experience, and whether or not they want to sparren.