The switch to FC Volendam, perhaps the most important step in the run-up to my professional football career. In Volendam, I am surrounded by professionals in the broadest sense of the word.

Not just for the beautiful stadium, no, it’s here where I come into contact with people of a whole new calibre. Everything is going to be different from now on.

The trainer talks to me in terms of; “achieving goals, targets” and progress discussions are a monthly returning event. You are allowed to go on holiday, but you must bring a training schedule with you. So getting up early in the morning and train. After that, up to the beach.

Everything, but really everything is done in a professional manner. FC Volendam is not only working on the football player Nick, but also on the human Nick.

These are the steps you want to take as an aspiring footballer. It takes some time to get used to the Volendam dialect though.