HC Achilles Bocholt is a men's handball club from Bocholt, Belgium, that plays in the Belgian First Division and in the BENE-League.
History
Achilles Bocholt was founded in the summer of 1986 by about fifteen young people. After a year of training, the first team was formed in 1987. In the 2003/2004 season, the team won the second division, making it the first time in its history to get into the Belgian First Division. They were allowed to compete in an international cup for the first time in the 2013/14 season, in the EHF Cup. Here, the Hungarian Tatabánya KC was able to win both in Tatabánya (30-22) and in Bocholt (35-30), so the team was eliminated in the first round. During its history, 5 national championships (in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023), 7 Belgian Cups (in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023) and won 6 BENE-League (in 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023). The colors of the club have changed many times over the years: green and white from 1987-1992, blue-white from 1992-2003, green-black from 2003-2020, and blue-black from 2020.
Crest, colours, supporters
Naming history
NamePeriodHandbal Achilles Bocholt 1987–1992Handbal Sezoens Bocholt 1992–2005Handbal Achilles Bocholt 2005–2014QubiQ Achilles Bocholt 2014–2020Handbal Achilles Bocholt 2020–2022Sezoens Achilles Bocholt2022–present
Kit manufacturers
PeriodKit manufacturer - 2014 Nike 2014 - 2017 Jako 2017 - present Kempa
Kits
HOME
AWAY
Team
Current squad
Squad for the 2023–24 season
Sezoens Achilles BocholtGoalkeepers 1 Clem Leroy 12 Stef Gijbels 16 Oracha Van Bommel 27 Wesley Snoeks Left Wingers 6 Tristan Tielen 18 Thomas Driesen 22 Mattias Van Criekinge Right Wingers 11 Elias Koninkx 30 Ilyas D'Hanis 47 Aleksa Кljajić Line Players 8 Stef Jaeken 17 Joren Lamers 24 Tim Claessens
Left Backs 5 Michiel Lamers 19 Odirin Jerry 20 Ruben Roelants 44 Jeroen De Beule Central Backs 7 Wout Winters 21 Jorn Ceyssens 25 Lennert Ceyssens 31 Pieter Strauven Right Backs 14 Serge Spooren 99 Lennert Doms
Technical staff Head coach: Luc Boiten Assistant coach: Roel Valkenborgh Goalkeeping coach: Johannes Last Physiotherapist: Patrick Maas
Transfers
Transfers for the 2023–24 season
Joining Aleksa Кljajić (RW) from RK Vojvodina
Leaving Roel Valkenborgh (LB) (retires)
Previous squads 2018–2019 Team Shirt NoNationalityPlayerBirth DatePosition 1 Björn Alberts Goalkeeper 4 Brecht Wertelaers Right Winger 5 Michiel Lamers Left Back 7 Wout Winters Central Back 8 Evert Kooijman Line Player 10 Jordi Cremers Line Player 11 Elias Koninkx Right Winger 12 Stef Gijbels Goalkeeper 15 Roel Valkenborgh Left Back 16 Clem Leroy Goalkeeper 17 Joren Lamers Line Player 18 Thomas Driesen Left Winger 20 Ruben Roelants Left Back 22 Serge Spooren Right Back 24 Damian Kedziora Left Winger 28 Martijn Meijer Right Back 44 Bartosz Kedziora Central Back
2016–2017 Team Shirt NoNationalityPlayerBirth DatePosition 1 Björn Alberts Goalkeeper 3 Brecht Lamers Left Back 4 Brecht Wertelaers Right Winger 5 Nejc Zmavc Line Player 7 Wout Winters Central Back 10 Jordi Cremers Line Player 11 Elias Koninkx Right Winger 12 Stef Gijbels Goalkeeper 14 Andreas Kittel Right Winger 15 Roel Valkenborgh Left Back 16 Clem Leroy Goalkeeper 17 Joren Lamers Line Player 22 Serge Spooren Right Back 24 Damian Kedziora Left Winger 34 Miha Pučnik Left Back 44 Bartosz Kedziora Central Back
Accomplishments
Belgian First Division: Winners (5) : 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 Runner-Up (3) : 2010, 2013, 2014 BENE-League: Winners (7) : 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2025 Runner-Up (2) : 2010, 2022 Belgian Handball Cup: Winners (8) : 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025
EHF ranking
Rank Team Points124 Belenenses36125 HC Butel Skopje36126 SKKP Handball Brno36127 Achilles Bocholt36128 A.C. PAOK36129 Saint-Raphaël Var Handball36130 GC Amicitia Zürich36
Former club members
Notable former players
Quinten Colman (2019-2021) Jeroen De Beule (2021-) Yannick Glorieux (2020-2022) Bartosz Kedziora (2010-2019) Serge Spooren (2016-) Roel Valkenborgh (2013-2023) Björn Alberts (2012-2020) Tim Claessens (2020-) Evert Kooijman (2017-2021) Martijn Meijer (2018-2020) Maik Onink (2008-2014) Rutger Sanders (2005-2006) Léon van Schie (2014-2016) Arjan Versteijnen (2020-2022)
Former coaches Seasons Coach Country 1988–1992 Nel Kremers 1992–1993 Patrick Coppens 1993 Frans Van Keulen 1993–1994 Cor Borghmans 1994–1998 Ryszard Wilanowski 1998–2000 Tinus Hulsbosch 2000–2002 Philippe Spooren 2002–2003 Cor Borghmans 2003–2004 Dominiek Brinkmans 2004–2006 Ryszard Wilanowski 2006 Dieter Lennartz 2006–2010 Gabrie Rietbroek 2010 Harold Nusser 2010–2011 Gabrie Rietbroek 2011–2012 Robin Gielen 2012 Stan Backus 2012–2014 Pim Rietbroek 2014 Stan Backus 2014–2022 Bart Lenders 2022– Luc Boiten
References
External links