As many other people I got addicted to Pinball in my youth and picked it up again around 2009. In my town there are 3 other pinheads which became real friends and we play pinball every Friday evening since I think like 2011/2012. Can be at 1 of those 4 places or we go as Pinball Team Drunen on tour so to speak. During the years the group has expanded a little and real friendships grew out of it.
Around 2012 I became a 'board-member' of the Dutch Pinball Association (www.nfvpinball.nl), eg the secretary. With approx 1300 members NFV is considered to be the biggest in his kind in the world. Clubhouse is in Veenendaal having approx 120 pins on free play. Also writing for our clubmagazine called the Spinner, see https://www.nfvpinball.nl/spinner-magazine . These 'jobs' expanded my knowledge of fellow pinheads rapidly and made me visit a lot of amazing gamerooms and made new friends :-)
Starting 2014 I became one of the chief organizers of the Dutch Pinball Open (DPO). In 2014 it was held for the first time with an EXPO part for which Steve Ritchie was invited. One of my fondest pinball memories is thus Steve visiting my gameroom and playing his/mine ACDC Premium :-) That was really kick-ass I can tell you, what a great guy. Last time I did this was in 2017, for a report on this event see https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/11/21/dpo-expo-2017/
I have only a small gameroom with place for only 4 pins :-(. At the moment of editing this (June 2023) it are GZ Premium, TWD LE, ACDC Premium and TBL. AC/DC, GZ and TBL I bough NIB, TWD LE I bought HUO (had a pro first but enjoyed TWD so much I wanted to have best version available).
Since start 2021 I help DP as a volunteer after regular business hours for Support. Have written an Operational Manul and a Service FAQ and answer the support issues reported to [email protected] and Pinside. Prior to in mainly second part 2019 have helped also in the factory in building TBL during quite some days off from regular work (sales engineer Fiber Optics T&M), helped in rebooting DP so to speak
During 2022 and 2023 my DP support role has grown but the service and operational manual I wrote helped a lot. Just juggling with regular dayjob, dp support, work for the NFV, playing pinball, social activities and a family life. Sometimes this can be a challenge.
Besides playing I also enjoy to mod my pins. You cant have enough bling-bling after all :-). On my youtube channel www.youtube.nl/rensellen you can see them. Just not so active anymore on this part of the hobby, no time
Also I have 'rescued' quite some pins. Not real restorations but picking up a neglected pinball (SS and DMD only), cleaning it and getting it fully back to operating as the factory once intended. Than reselling it in order to fund the hobby and recoup some of all my costs.
Last but not least I also help in a local pinball repairshop, www.Starjet.nl , to expand my knowledge and because it's fun to help.
So, guess this covers it all more or less in a nutshell. Thanks for reading
