KanJam is a wonderful, addictive game

These are the lads behind ‘One Hit Wonders’

They got to know each other at the teacher training college, and they are both really fanatical. As soon as Tiuri and Sven tried out KanJam, they were both hooked on it. Thanks to their participation in the European Championship and other tournaments, these lads are also well known as the ‘One Hit Wonders’ – a name which, in itself, does them no honour. After all, if you ask us, they can play a decent session of KanJam and are definitely no one-hit wonders! ;-) So it’s high time we introduced you to these two fanatical and respected ambassadors for KanJam.

“Tiuri called me to say that he’s pretty hot at KanJam. That came out well, because I was too! Even though, at that time, we thought we were better at it than we really were.”

It started with a bit of fun

Sven came across KanJam some years ago at a surfing camp, where the setting was also perfect for playing it non-stop: sun, sea, sand, and good company. He quickly realised that it is an addictive game, and he didn’t keep it to himself, Tiuri says: “Sven had talked about KanJam several times. When I was taking a minor in P.E. during my studies, KanJam had also come to my notice and I had to admit straight away that Sven was right. What a fantastic game!” Tiuri called Sven immediately to say that he was ‘really hot’ at the game! “That’s good, because I am too, was my answer,” Sven adds. It started with a bit of fun and bragging to each other about how good they were. This resulted in their participation, with relatively little preparation, in the European KanJam Championship in 2016. Sven: “Haha! We thought we were rather better at it than we really were. But we continued to improve.”

So what’s so great about KanJam?

“I always liked playing frisbee, but that’s something you hardly ever play. It’s easy to switch to KanJam, and it’s really nice and enjoyable to play it with friends. You also notice that you get better at it. When I do something, I want to be able to do it well. If there is no improvement, I get grumpy,” Sven tells us. But the improvement came, and quickly too! “We really got better and better at it! Even if you can throw well, it doesn’t necessarily make you a good KanJammer. There’s also a real art to the slam. Managing to get discs into the can even when they are off course.”

Although fanatical players, the guys are also up for casual games. Tiuri: “At the New Year festivities, I brought out the shuffleboard. Somehow I found out that there is a world shuffleboard tournament – fantastic! I signed up for a laugh and came about 110th out of 130, haha. In my online search, I also found the European KanJam Championship, and Sven and I signed up for it without hesitation! The first time we took part, we were already knocked out in the eighth-finals.”

 “All those gym instructors who take part in the European Championship every year – those are dangerous opponents!”

To the World Championship in 2019?

The One Hit Wonders are now popular participants in the European KanJam Championship, where they give a respectable performance. Last year they achieved second place, and this year fifth place. Their love for the game becomes especially clear when we hear that Tiuri and Sven took part in the KanJam championship in Luxembourg for two years in a row. On both occasions, they went home with a golden plaque! Tiuri: “This year there were some really formidable opponents, including a number of Dutch teams we already knew from the European KanJam Championship.

We won the final this year with an instant win! Sven was really on fire; all his throws got good points and even an instant win, which won us a fuel card, haha. That was handy for the journey home!” So would we be right in thinking that, after this fine performance in Luxembourg, these guys should do well in the European Championship and earn their ticket to the World Championship? We are already looking forward to the European KanJam Championship in 2019, and we have high expectations. “All those gym instructors who take part in the European Cup every year – those are dangerous opponents!” says Sven. It therefore already promises to be an exciting – but, above all, enjoyable – competition.

Huh? KanJam?

Shame. Many people still have not heard about KanJam, as Tiuri affirms. “When we take KanJam to the beach with us in summer, you see people looking on with amazement. Even when we are practising in our neighbourhood, people often stop and ask what we are doing.” So it’s not just playing KanJam: watching the game is also infectious!

“Play it once and you are hooked!”

Infecting students with the KanJam virus

Sven: “Unfortunately, I don’t teach gym any more. But I do teach Group 8, so KanJam definitely goes with us to camp! Students really love to play it. We also take KanJam with us when the children go swimming in the outdoor pool. You notice that everyone quickly gets better at it, and they also learn the basics of the game fast. The nice thing is that you soon get close to earning points; that makes the game accessible to everyone, whether you are good at sport or not. What’s more, one person might be better at throwing while the other is better at slamming the disc.”

What would the One Hit Wonders like to say to people who don’t know KanJam yet? “Play it once and you are hooked!”