John van Lottum was once a successful tennis player. Now he tells me about his transition from athlete to entrepreneur, about padel - the fastest growing sport in the world - which he knows all about, and about Formula 1, for which his company DEUX organizes the closing shows. We meet at Plaza Padel in Heiloo, where business, pleasure and sport are united.Text: Irene van de Laar | Online editing: Fleur de Jong
Image: Karoly Effenberger
"I have a body made of glass. I had a lot of surgeries and ended up struggling with a back injury that was too severe to continue. That took a very long time, I was out for almost two years. I did try to come back, but in the end it proved too limited with all the surgeries I had, so then I decided to quit. Way too early. Yes, I found that very difficult. Especially because then you also enter your best years, leave the youthful behind and have much more discipline and overview, which is necessary to actually perform well constantly. In addition, you have the feeling that this is the only thing you can do in life at that time. Suddenly that is taken away from you and then you actually have to start all over again. The question then is: which way do you go now?"
"Yeah, that's inherent in the life of an athlete anyway. Normally you build your career with a certain expertise and you continue in that. You do a study to gain more knowledge of a specific branch you choose and you're going to find your way in that. I did that too, but that piece fell away: you have to go back to work in a completely different discipline or industry. Does that include that black hole? Yes, I think so. Especially because you also just doubt yourself. What am I good at? I think the most important thing is that you are willing to take some steps back and put your ego and pride aside in order to climb back up a ladder somewhere. There are many who can't do that because you have to make concessions in a lot of things in order to grow again. You can't expect to be at the level you had in your top sport, to immediately enter social life."
"I knew at least one thing for sure: not back in tennis. That made it very difficult for me on the one hand, because then what do you go for? What can you do then? On the other hand, it was also very liberating that I didn't have to be tied to tennis for the rest of my life. I wanted to choose something where I felt free, where I enjoyed myself. Then you will have to start somewhere where it might be a little less fun for a while, but you can grow into that."
"I looked at the commercial side of sports: where are the best job opportunities, where is the most money and what is close to me? That was soccer. Through my network I ended up at AZ after a number of interviews. There I could make meters and work with something I did not master. I worked in the commercial team as sponsor manager. I had to get used to it: going to work in a lease car, getting coffee for colleagues, being part of a team and sometimes being uncertain about things I still had to learn. But my top sports mentality always came out and I wanted to get through this. I soon noticed that I wanted more. From there I made the move to the Eredivisie, a national platform. I got every opportunity there, gained a lot of knowledge and eventually became commercial director of the Eredivisie. I was responsible for FOX Sports (now ESPN; ed.), 24Kitchen and National Geographic."
Read more of the interview with John van Lottum and find out what his biggest learning moment was? The spring issue of MASTERS celebrates regained freedom after two years of corona. Its value is underscored by developments in Eastern Europe, where the freedom of an entire nation is at stake. We live in a new reality, but we can plan again, eat out, meet people. The world is turning again! Only: which way? Time for new bridges, new initiatives. To which this edition of MASTERS offers inspiration.
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