TOP back in the Korfbal League after four years and now wants to stay

In the Korfbal League 2, TOP was unstoppable last season: sixteen wins and two draws in eighteen matches. On 14 March the title was secured, with 26‑9 at home against Wageningen. "The former national champion returns to the familiar Korfbal League four years after the historic relegation", wrote the Bollenstreek Omroep.

Now the goal is to stay up. Jimmy Swikker tells KORFBALINC: "I want to achieve that, with a good season in which I play all the roles, I see TOP stay up so that we keep playing where we belong." Earlier he told Omroep West: "The goal is to stay in it, otherwise we will have done all that effort for nothing."

The club is also looking further ahead. "Of course it is Top's wish to stay in the Korfball League structurally", the chairman said at the general members' meeting in September.

Read more: Dalto wants to stay clear of relegation worries this time, and starts in Sassenheim

Van Asperen and Wayenberg added

The squad changed in a few places. Jill Heijink left for Dalto after five seasons. Bastiaan Overwater retired, Fenna Jagtman no longer plays at the highest level. New are Noor van Asperen (25), a scoring player from AW.DTV, and Pim Wayenberg (19), who comes from Valto and is part of the TeamNL under 21 programme. "TOP is an ambitious club and I look forward to becoming part of it and improving myself further", Van Asperen said on TOP's website.

Marrien Ekelmans, the coach, keeps hammering on tempo in training. "Keep your speed of action high, just do it yourself", Omroep West heard him shout at training.

Swikker knows where the strength lies, he tells KORFBALINC: "Actually what made it so strong last year too, the collective defending with high pressure. A lot of variety in the attacks, where we don't only score from static korfball." And: "If we can continue this against the very best, we should be able to win a number of matches."

The atmosphere is good, Swikker tells KORFBALINC: "There is a really good balance between preparing for the league but also the fun things outside korfball."

Cautious from the outside

From the outside it sounds more cautious. In the first episode of De Korfbal Podcast this season, John Jonker expects it to be tough: "So I don't expect TOP to finish seventh, but that they will find it very difficult to get away from those bottom two places at all." According to him, promoted teams always have it hard.

Wilco van den Bos is more positive about the players: "Robin Bakker will surprise this season, I think." And: "And Frank Mostard is just there, he is still a top player." John Jonker is curious about Tim Dekker at the highest level.

Tonight against Dalto

Tonight at 20:15 Dalto comes to De Korf. That team became champion of the Korfbal League 2 in Sassenheim in March 2025, with 18‑23 against TOP. Heijink immediately faces her old club. About Dalto, Swikker tells KORFBALINC: "i think both clubs have a great following that is very fanatical and very busy."

After that come DeetosSnel away, the other promoted team, KZ at home and LDODK away. In 2028 TOP will be a hundred years old.