25th Anniversary, Bernard Kooistra

After my appointment in 1996 by the KNSA as league trainer, the 1997 InterShoot was the first international match with the air rifle team for me, and hence is still very special for me.

 

I have visited InterShoot for many years as a spectator and now I finally could coach the shooters as league trainer, jointly with Anne-Grethe Stormorken, who was associated as a trainer for the national junior team.

 

The most special thing was that I lost my hair – apart from 3 mm – as a result of a bet I had made with the team. On the journey to the match, which I made with two shooters by train, I made a comment that I would have my head shaved bald, if one of the shooters would win a medal. One of the two was Janneke v/d Haar and I was not preaching to deaf ears. After arrival she informed the team immediately. They did everything they could and as a result Peter Boes just missed third place on the first day and did not get a medal. At that moment I was very casual about the whole thing, but I was glad for myself it did not happen.

 

The second day it did happen and Renza Frings left no stone unturned and got first place, meaning I lost my luxurious amount of hair. I had to swallow deeply, but when you say ‘A’ you also have to say ‘B’ and on the last day it happened, prior to the third match my hair had to get off. The team had arranged an appointment at a local barbershop and the shaving started. In itself this wasn’t a big issue, but the team had also informed the press who turned the whole thing into a story in a newspaper complete with photograph. They also videotaped it and I am still watching this video with great enjoyment. Thanks to Anne-Grethe I was allowed to keep some 3mm of my hair, which I appreciated. Everyone had lots of fun about the fact that had to walk around with a near-bold head. Anyway, after about an hour everyone had gotten used to it and the comments were a lot less.

 

Also a lot less was my arrival at home. As usual, my wife, whom I had informed by phone, was there to welcome me and she was visibly shocked, resulting in a week with pictures but no sound. Meaning she didn’t talk to me for a week. Many asked me if I would do it again; to which the clear answer is once, but never again.

 

Apart from all the successes at the match this was for me to most remarkable InterShoot.