Soccer in the mining region

In the last century, as the Mining District continued to grow due to the opening of the mines, there came a church in every colony. This allowed the cowpeas to faithfully attend church on Sundays. But what other phenomenon did we see? From the 10s in the last century, an incredible number of soccer clubs were established in the mining region. Outside of working in the mine and going to church, there was plenty of room for sports and recreation. Soccer in the mining region was very successful. Think of the national championships of Limburgia and Rapid JC or the cup finals of Groene Ster. But also below that, several clubs were very successful. Some of these are well-known (think of the predecessors of Roda JC, Limburgia or Chévremont), some today appeal less to the imagination.

How did it all work in those days? How were soccer clubs run, what was the influence of the mine and the church? Where exactly were the clubs located, where were their grounds? What special stories can be told about soccer at that time? 

The Voice of Kaalhei is hosting a theme night around this interesting topic. During this event we will take a closer look at soccer in the time of the mines. We do this through a live podcast with several interesting guests, where there is also the opportunity to ask questions. 

What is The Voice of Kaalhei?

The Voice of Kaalhei is a weekly podcast that focuses on the present and rich past of Roda JC. Together with guests from Roda JC history, current events are discussed or a specific theme from the club's history is addressed. The Voice of Kaalhei can be heard on the well-known podcast platforms and is produced by South XVI.