# HC Achilles Bocholt

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

| Name | Period |
| Handbal Achilles Bocholt | 1987–1992 |
| Handbal Sezoens Bocholt | 1992–2005 |
| Handbal Achilles Bocholt | 2005–2014 |
| QubiQ Achilles Bocholt | 2014–2020 |
| Handbal Achilles Bocholt | 2020–2022 |
| Sezoens Achilles Bocholt | 2022–present |

### Kit manufacturers

| Period | Kit manufacturer |
| - 2014 | Nike |
| 2014 - 2017 | Jako |
| 2017 - present | Kempa |

### Kits

HOME :
| 2013–14 | 2015–17 | 2017–18 | 2019–20 | 2020–24 |
AWAY :
| 2015–17 | 2019–20 | 2022–24 |

## Team
### Current squad

    Squad for the 2023–24 season
Sezoens Achilles Bocholt :
Goalkeepers
01 Clem Leroy
12 Stef Gijbels
16 Oracha Van Bommel
27 Wesley Snoeks
Left Wingers
06 Tristan Tielen
18 Thomas Driesen
22 Mattias Van Criekinge
Right Wingers
11 Elias Koninkx
30 Ilyas D'Hanis
47 Aleksa Кljajić
Line Players
08 Stef Jaeken
17 Joren Lamers
24 Tim Claessens
Left Backs
05 Michiel Lamers
19 Odirin Jerry
20 Ruben Roelants
44 Jeroen De Beule
Central Backs
07 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

## Previous squads

2018–2019 Team :
| Shirt No | Nationality | Player | Birth Date | Position |
| 1 | Netherlands | Björn Alberts | (1978-08-03) 3 August 1978 (age 46) | Goalkeeper |
| 4 | Belgium | Brecht Wertelaers | (1990-07-23) 23 July 1990 (age 34) | Right Winger |
| 5 | Belgium | Michiel Lamers | (1998-08-15) 15 August 1998 (age 26) | Left Back |
| 7 | Belgium | Wout Winters | (1994-08-26) 26 August 1994 (age 30) | Central Back |
| 8 | Netherlands | Evert Kooijman | (1996-01-28) 28 January 1996 (age 28) | Line Player |
| 10 | Netherlands | Jordi Cremers | (1990-03-06) 6 March 1990 (age 34) | Line Player |
| 11 | Belgium | Elias Koninkx | (1998-05-22) 22 May 1998 (age 26) | Right Winger |
| 12 | Belgium | Stef Gijbels | (1996-07-23) 23 July 1996 (age 28) | Goalkeeper |
| 15 | Belgium | Roel Valkenborgh | (1988-11-15) 15 November 1988 (age 35) | Left Back |
| 16 | Belgium | Clem Leroy | (1997-08-27) 27 August 1997 (age 27) | Goalkeeper |
| 17 | Belgium | Joren Lamers | (1996-01-19) 19 January 1996 (age 28) | Line Player |
| 18 | Belgium | Thomas Driesen | (1995-09-03) 3 September 1995 (age 29) | Left Winger |
| 20 | Belgium | Ruben Roelants | (1990-08-20) 20 August 1990 (age 34) | Left Back |
| 22 | Belgium | Serge Spooren | (1993-11-22) 22 November 1993 (age 30) | Right Back |
| 24 | Belgium Poland | Damian Kedziora | (1987-05-18) 18 May 1987 (age 37) | Left Winger |
| 28 | Netherlands | Martijn Meijer | (1991-11-28) 28 November 1991 (age 32) | Right Back |
| 44 | Belgium Poland | Bartosz Kedziora | (1990-12-31) 31 December 1990 (age 33) | Central Back |
2016–2017 Team :
| Shirt No | Nationality | Player | Birth Date | Position |
| 1 | Netherlands | Björn Alberts | (1978-08-03) 3 August 1978 (age 46) | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Belgium | Brecht Lamers | (1994-06-01) 1 June 1994 (age 30) | Left Back |
| 4 | Belgium | Brecht Wertelaers | (1990-07-23) 23 July 1990 (age 34) | Right Winger |
| 5 | Slovenia | Nejc Zmavc | (1990-09-06) 6 September 1990 (age 34) | Line Player |
| 7 | Belgium | Wout Winters | (1994-08-26) 26 August 1994 (age 30) | Central Back |
| 10 | Netherlands | Jordi Cremers | (1990-03-06) 6 March 1990 (age 34) | Line Player |
| 11 | Belgium | Elias Koninkx | (1998-05-22) 22 May 1998 (age 26) | Right Winger |
| 12 | Belgium | Stef Gijbels | (1996-07-23) 23 July 1996 (age 28) | Goalkeeper |
| 14 | Netherlands | Andreas Kittel | (1985-02-12) 12 February 1985 (age 39) | Right Winger |
| 15 | Belgium | Roel Valkenborgh | (1988-11-15) 15 November 1988 (age 35) | Left Back |
| 16 | Belgium | Clem Leroy | (1997-08-27) 27 August 1997 (age 27) | Goalkeeper |
| 17 | Belgium | Joren Lamers | (1996-01-19) 19 January 1996 (age 28) | Line Player |
| 22 | Belgium | Serge Spooren | (1993-11-22) 22 November 1993 (age 30) | Right Back |
| 24 | Belgium Poland | Damian Kedziora | (1987-05-18) 18 May 1987 (age 37) | Left Winger |
| 34 | Slovenia | Miha Pučnik | (1988-02-01) 1 February 1988 (age 36) | Left Back |
| 44 | Belgium Poland | Bartosz Kedziora | (1990-12-31) 31 December 1990 (age 33) | Central Back |

## Accomplishments

* Belgian First Division:
** Winners (5) : 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
** Runner-Up (3) : 2010, 2013, 2014
* BENE-League:
** Winners (6) : 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023
** Runner-Up (2) : 2010, 2022
* Belgian Handball Cup:
** Winners (7) : 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023

## EHF ranking

    As of 26/10/2023
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 124 | Belenenses | 36 |
| 125 | HC Butel Skopje | 36 |
| 126 | SKKP Handball Brno | 36 |
| 127 | Achilles Bocholt | 36 |
| 128 | A.C. PAOK | 36 |
| 129 | Saint-Raphaël Var Handball | 36 |
| 130 | GC Amicitia Zürich | 36 |

## 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 |
| 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 |