United States Korfball Federation
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US Korfball History

- August Mr. Ralph Alexander introduced korfball during a two weeks workshop for High School for Journalists at CSCP in San Luis Obispo.

26 March - Mr. Nicolaas J. Moolenijzer, Associate Professor at the University of Missouri – Columbia, introduced korfball at his university.   Mr. Nico Moolenijzer published articles about korfball in the Journal of the AACHPER.

1969 November - An article about korfball was published in the November-December issue of the Journal of Health.

1970 5th April - Mr. Moolenijzer demonstrated korfball at the National Conference of the American Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation ( AAHPER ) in Seattle, Washington.

1975 - Korfball was introduced at the AAHPER (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation) Convention 1975 in Atlantic City. Mr. H.A.Duns, K.N.K.V.,NED and Mr. R.E.Thorpe, BKA, Gr.Br., attended the convention.

Mr. Paul Kempff founded the Texas Korfball Association

" Mr.. Paul Kempff organized the Texas Korfball Association in 1975 at the request of the Committee Korfball U.S.A. in Holland. He immigrated to the United States in 1959 and for the past twenty years he has been a machinist in the Fort area. Mr. Kempff was born in the Dutch East Indies, where his father was an engineer at a sugar factory. He has worked for the Dutch Government in both the Dutch East Indies and Holland. During World War II he served in the Royal Dutch Navy and became a prisoner of war for two and one-half years. I was sent to ‘Thailand, where he worked on the Burma-Thailand railroad along the River Kwai."


1976 24th March – 7th April

Representatives of the F.I.K (IKF) and a group of 22 top-players attended the AAHPER Convention in Milwaukee . Korfball demonstrations were conducted in Schools, colleges and universities in Los Angeles, Eugene and Milwaukee. An English version of the Dutch Korfball Magazine was produced and other promotional material.

December - Mr. Paul Kempff established a korfball club in Texas with the name THOR after the Dutch club were he used to play.


1977 - At the American Alliance for Health Physical Education and Recreation of the District in Seattle, Wasington korfball was promoted at a workshop. Mr. Ton Marteijn and Mr. Max van Leeuwen attended the Convention and than promote korfball in Vancouver ,Regina, Winnipeg (all CAN) , Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Eugene, University of Oregon - Mr. Nic Moolenijzer introduced korfball at the university. Mr. Adri Zwaanswijk (Swan) and Mr. and Mrs.van Dijk conducted a a 4 week "Summer korfball course".

Mr. Dan Tripps of the Oral Roberts University of Tulsa, Oklahoma visited The Netherlands with a student team of the university.


1978 5th – 10th April - Mrs. Thea Noordzij and Mr. Max van Leeuwen, representatives of the F.I.K., and Mr. and Mrs. Muller, Both USKF, ran a booth at the AAPHER Convention in Kansa City. Mrs. Noordzij conducted korfball clinics in Albuquerque, Forth Worth and at the University of Las Vegas.

8th April - The U.S. Korfball Federation was officially founded at the 93rd National Conference of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Recreation in Kansas City. The Interim Executive Board consisted of Dr. Jan Broekhoff President; Mr. Karel Muller, Vice President; Dr. Nicolaas Moolenijzer, Executive Secretary; Mr. Hans Muller, Member.

Dr. Dan Tripps of the Oral Roberts University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and his team visited The Netherlands for the second time. They attended training sessions and played matches in Eindhoven and Capelle a/d IJssel .

3rd – 14th July - A korfball course was conducted by Mr. Adri Zwaanswijk, Mr. Ton Marteijn, Mr. Freek Keizer en Mrs. Diane Mastenbroek.

17th – 28th July - A two week workshop took place at the NMAHPHER in New Mexico. The Instructors were Dr. Nicolaas Moolenijzer, Dr. Leon Griffin, Mr. Adri Zwaanswijk (NED) and Mr. Ton Marteijn (NED)

October - The U.S.K.F. launched it’s first Newsletter.

November - The National team took part in the first World Championships held in the Netherlands. The USA team reached the 5th place in the final ranking.


1979 16th March - The first A.G.M. of the U.S.K.F. took place at New Orleans, Louisiana. The new elected board consisted of Mr. Jan Broekhoff president, Mr. Karel Muller Vice President, Mr. Nick Moolenijzer Secretary General, Members: Mr. Hans Muller, Mrs. Diane White, Mr. Scott Cutten.

2nd – 14th April - A Dutch korfball promotion team toured the U.S.A. Korfball clinics and demonstrations were conducted in Chicago; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; Long Beach and Ojai California, at the Convention of Recreation Departments in Portland, Oregon: Corvallis, Oregon; Eugene.

Korfball was part of the Saturday series for Kids at the Nevada Union High School, Grass Valley.

8th – 18th December - A Dutch team from H.K.V. den Haag, visited Texas to play exhibition matches and to conduct workshops at Universities, schools and the TAHPER Convention in the Tarrant County Convention Centre in Fort Worth. An official match U.S.A. v Holland took place in the Oral Roberts University in Tulsa Oklahoma.


1980 February -

Mr. Adri Zwaanswijk (Swan) visited the USA and promotes korfball in Oregon, New Mexico and Texas.

1st March - The Texas Korfball Association launched its first News Letter.

6th – 26th May - A group of 16 students of the ORU Korfball Club Tulsa, Oklahoma visited Groningen, Utrecht, and Eindhoven in The Netherlands to learn more about korfball.

11th August - The State of Texas certified the Articles of Incorporation of the Texas Korfball Association.

Mr. Paul Kempff published an article about korfball in the TAPHER Journal.

September - 16 boys and girls (U18) from Northern California visited Europe to play korfball. They visited London, Great Britain; Antwerp, Belgium; Castrop Rauxel, Germany.

December - A team of Korfball Club HKV, The Hague (NED) visited the University of Texas at Austin during the TAHPER Convention.

2nd -3rd January - The First ever Korfball Tournament took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The local TV station and radio station paid attention to it. Teams from the University of Oregon, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa Oklahoma and two teams from Albuquerque took part.


1981 Seven persons of the U.S.K.F. took part in the first International Summer Course for Coaches at Papendal (NED). Mrs. Carol Jean Siciliano ( Ohio), Jozell Johnson, Janet Ewing, DeAnn Baltzir, Paul Blunck, Greg Crone and Scott Akers, all from Oregon.

11th – 15th October - The Oral Roberts University Korfball Club from Tulsa, Oklahoma conducted exhibition games and workshops at Universities and schools in Texas.

14th April - The Annual Meeting of the USKF took place in Massachusetts. Present were Mr. Jan Broekhof, President, Members of the Executive Council: Mr. Hans Muller, Mr. Karel Muller; Representatives of the Royal Dutch Korfball Association: Mrs. Thea Noordzij and Mr. Adrie Zwaanswijk (Swan) and Mrs. Becky Sjoberg of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Mr. Jozell Johnson, Mr. Dean Baltzer, Mrs. Janet Ewing, Mr. Greg Cone, Mr. Scott Akers and Mr. Paul Blunck attend the International Korfball Summer Course at Papendal (NED).

The Portland University (coach Ralph Davis) wins the National Invitational Korfball Tournament in Eugene.

Korfball is demonstrated by students from ORU and Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Huntsville, TX, at the TAHPER convention in Houston, TX.



6th – 31st May - A group of 13 students of the ORU Korfball club visited the Netherlands ( Rotterdam, Eindhoven, and Drachten) competing tournaments.



1982 - A group of student korfball players from SHSU visited Germany and Holland playing against several clubs with the assistance of Paul Kempff, while a group of students from ORU visited Holland.

Korfball was on the program of Sport For Understanding, an exchange program for students.


1983 Korfball is demonstrated at the TAHPER  Convention in Corpus Christi, TX.

1984 April - The USA national team took part in the 2nd World Championships for seniors in Antwerp, Belgium and reached the 6th place in the final ranking. Prior the tournament the team stayed with the Dutch korfball club Groen Geel in Wormer.

19th – 26th July - Mr. Bart. J. Crum and Mr. Freek Keizer conducted a Korfball presentation at the Olympic Scientific Congress at Eugene, Oregon.


1985 July - The USA National Team took part Word Games II in London Great Britain and reached the 3rd place in the final ranking. Prior the tournament the team stayed with the Dutch korfball club Groen Geel in Wormer.

17th November - Mr. Paul Kempff, one of the pioneers of the development of korfball in the U.S.A. passed away.


1986 - The Executive Committee consisted of Mr. Dr Jan Broekhoff, President; Mr. Ralph Davis, Executive Secretary.

The First Official Sanctioned U.S. Korfball Championship took place in Albuquerque, N.M. Participants were ZIA Swift Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Texas.  Final ranking: 1st Oklahoma, 2nd Texas, 3rd Oregon, 4th Zia Swift, New Mexico.


1987 April - The USA national team took part in the 3rd World Championships The Netherlands and reached the 7th place in the final ranking. Prior the tournament the team stayed with the Dutch korfball club Groen Geel in Wormer.

5th, 6th September - The Second Official Sanctioned U.S. National Korfball Championship took place at the Portland State University. Participating teams were California, Oklahoma and Oregon. Final ranking: 1st Oregon, 2nd California, 3rd Oklahoma.


1988 3rd - 5th September - The Friendship Cup took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Participants were: Aruba, Overkanters and D.K.V. from The Netherlands, and American teams from Houston,Tulsa, Oklahoma and California. California won the National Championship and De Overkanters the Friendship Cup.

1989 - The Executive Committee of the I.K.F. awarded the Badge of Honor of the I.K.F. to Mr. Ralph Davis as a token of its appreciation for the distinguished services rendered to the I.K.F.

The Friendship Cup took place in Houston, TX.  Participants included Aruba, Tulsa, California, and the Netherlands.

July - The USA national team took part in the World Games III in Karlsruhe, Germany and reached the 5/6th place in the final ranking.


1990 - 29th June – 9th July The Friendship Cup and National Championship took place in Santa Ana, California. Participants were from California, Portland, Texas and Oklahoma, as well as teams from Great Britain and The Netherlands. Tulsa became the National Champion.

1991 - April - The USA national team took part in the 4th World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium and reached the 7th place in the final ranking.

1st – 7th July - The National Championship and Friendship Cup took place in Tulsa Oklahoma. Final results: 1st Southern California, 2nd Tulsa Korfmeisters, 3rd Oklahoma City, 4th Houston Doorlopers, 5th Tulsa Korfknokkers.

Canada won the Friendship Cup.


1992  July -  The Friendship Cup and National Championship took place in Tulsa Oklahoma.

1993 July - The USA national team took part in World Games IV in Den Haag The Netherlands and reached the 5th place in the final ranking.

1996 7th – 10th August - The 4 A’s- Tournament ( The champions of four continents) took place for the very first time in Tulsa at the Jenks East Middle School. Participants: The Netherlands, Taiwan, South Africa and the USA.

2005 29 Oct.-  6 Nov. - European team visits Holland Michigan and Salem Massachusetts.  The game between the Hope students and the Europeans was played before about 600 spectators.

2006 In May Hope College students visited Bennekom, Netherlands for one week.

July United Sates participated in Commonwealth and Friends tournament in London.

2007 In April 2007, a team from John Marshall High School in West Virginia participated in the U19 Junior World Cup.

​In October 2007, the US National Team participated in the IKF World Championships in Brno, Czech Republic, and we placed 13th out of 16 teams.



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