
Marloes Wesselink, a former student of Johan Cruyff Academy Amsterdam, shares her experience in organizing TeamNL House in Paris, the meeting point where Dutch athletes and their fans celebrated the Olympic and Paralympic medals during the 2024 Games
During the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, TeamNL House was the place where Dutch athletes and their fans celebrated the 90 medals won by their team. Many students and graduates from the Cruyff Education community dream of participating in the Games or contributing to projects like TeamNL House, which encompasses multiple aspects of sport. Marloes Wesselink is a graduate of the Sports Marketing program at Johan Cruyff Academy in Amsterdam, which she combined with playing elite beach volleyball. As project manager, she was involved in the entire process of organizing TeamNL House.
Paris 2024 was a turning point for the project. After many years operating under the name Holland Heineken House, the space was renamed TeamNL House, and responsibility for its management was transferred to the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF). Although the concept was retained, several changes were introduced to bring sports and the sporting experience into even sharper focus. For example, more big-screens were installed in the house, making it possible to follow several sports at the same time and better serve the fans.
A space for celebration
“TeamNL House in Paris was open for 17 days during the 2024 Olympic Games. At the Paralympics, we reopened for 11 days at a nearby location,” explains Marloes. “We received a total of around 100,000 visitors spread over the two events, who celebrated the 34 medals won by the Netherlands at the Olympic Games and the 56 achieved at the Paralympics.” In this interview, Marloes Wesselink looks back on the project and the organization that made the success of TeamNL House possible.
What did your role as project manager of TeamNL House entail?
I worked as a freelancer for Papendal within the TeamNL House project team. The team, in charge of organizing the project from start to finish, was diverse, committed, and very professional. In my role as project manager, I was involved in various aspects of the organization: from setting up the project structure and coordinating schedules with partners and suppliers to managing ticketing and accreditation for TeamNL House. I was also in charge of organizing travel and accommodation for staff, coordinating the recruitment and assignment of volunteers, as well as managing the location in Paris.
“It was an exhausting effort, but very rewarding. I love working as a team on large-scale, high-impact projects, where each person brings their expertise to the table.”
In addition, I worked closely with the entertainment team to provide engaging programming, including visitor activities, live broadcasts, entertainment, and celebrations. Finally, an important part of my job was to collaborate with the security team, managing capacity issues and protective measures.

Celebration of medals during the Paralympics at the TeamNL House. Credits: TeamNL.
What do you consider to be the key points in organizing an event as big as TeamNL House?
Our team worked for months on the preparations. As the event approached, more and more people joined in. Being involved in so many different areas, the organization of TeamNL House was very varied.
One of the most important aspects of an event of this size is stakeholder management. We worked with many stakeholders who shared a common goal: to bring the project to a successful conclusion. However, each of them also had their own desires, expectations, and ideas. Managing these differences and literally bringing everyone together under one roof was a key challenge.
It was a long and painstaking preparation process, followed by an intense final sprint towards the summer. Once in Paris, we worked day and night to create something special. It was an exhausting effort, but very rewarding. I love working as a team on large-scale, high-impact projects, where each person brings their expertise to the table.
What was the biggest challenge for you in this project?
In Paris, we had to manage a large volume of people at TeamNL House: 6,500 visitors a day, a team of 250 volunteers, and a very large group of professionals to ensure that everything ran smoothly. It was a great challenge, but also a wonderful thing, because we shared this experience with both visitors and athletes.
“The 2024 Olympic summer in Paris was a meeting point between my past as an athlete, my studies at Johan Cruyff Academy, and my work experience in sports marketing.”

Impression of the vibes at the TeamNL House during the Olympic Games in Paris. Credits: TeamNL.
On a personal level, what memories do you take with you from this experience?
I have very fond memories. There were emotional moments and others filled with tension, which is very exciting when you’re surrounded by so many sports fans. Experiencing the outcomes together and then celebrating Dutch sporting successes as one during the ceremonies was truly an incredible experience. My memory is of being with one huge group of people, many of them strangers, yet sharing the same sense of pride and euphoria. That’s what makes the TeamNL House so magical and unique, in my opinion.

Marloes Wesselink al Paris 2024.
One of the most special moments for me was the visit from my family and friends. I was able to show them what I had been working so hard on and share with them the final result. That was especially meaningful since I was away from home most of the summer.
Another unforgettable memory was attending the beach volleyball matches under the Eiffel Tower. During my sports career, I had played in that very spot. Coming back years later, in a completely different role, was like closing a cycle.
The 2024 Olympic summer in Paris was a meeting point between my past as an athlete, my studies at Johan Cruyff Academy, and my work experience in sports marketing. It was a moment when everything came together, bringing together former sporting and study colleagues in an environment that reflected our shared passion for sport.
Finally, to what extent was it an advantage that you were a high-level athlete in the organization of this major sporting event?
A project as extensive as TeamNL House required a lot of hard work, perseverance, and constant adjustments, skills that I developed as an athlete and that I found very useful.
I think my sporting background also allowed me to enjoy the Games more, as I know the effort and dedication that athletes require in their careers. It was wonderful to see their successes and to share those moments with their families and friends.
Featured image credits: TeamNL