Rie: Queen Of Teamwear
Japanese service is a legendary thing. Which explains why Rie, our Teamwear Manager, is so good at her job - that’s her home. Read on to discover how she ended up in Amsterdam helping teams and companies support KLABU’s work.
You can find Rie at the Amsterdam Clubhouse & Store
And at the Amsterdam Spirit weekly workouts
Whether you want five shirts or hundreds, your own logo or special numbering, Rie gets the job done.
In our Amsterdam clubhouse and store, at the end of the phone or on email, sits an ever-smiling powerhouse of efficiency. Her story of arriving at KLABU is one that really impresses (and humbles us at the same time). From over 9000 kilometres away in Japan and speaking only a little English, Rie identified KLABU as a place she was interested in working, and went on to manifest the job for herself. She quickly grew in her role and became our queen of Teamwear.
Rie helps create the logo, number and naming customisation
And sees through all Teamwear orders from start to finish
Rie describes her passion as “really loving to make someone’s life brighter, more motivated and positive”. This came through studying Human Development at Kokugakuin University in Tokyo, Japan.
There in her sports and education study, Rie learned how to identify someone’s potential and help them become their very best. A keen basketballer since her teenage years, life has always been about sport for Rie, committed and working hard to make results happen. She has played for good teams and coached the next generation too. When asked by her university mentor to dream what she’d do if she could be anyone and work anywhere, Rie knew straight away that she wanted to work in the sports field overseas. This supportive mentor began sending her organisations to consider, of which KLABU was one, that Rie describes as “the only one that really stuck in my heart”.
Rie made contact via our social media using translation software, and the rest is history - she stuck in our hearts as much as we hers, while she went to Canada to intensively learn English for 10 months. Keeping in touch, her passion returned her to KLABU.
"The Amsterdam Spirit community really helps being far from home. I’m also an immigrant, they’re my European family."
Rie loves having direct contact with people and making things happen for them. She also likes to see results and impact.
First she worked with KLABU’s Amsterdam Spirit newcomer community, graduating quickly from Clubhouse to Store Manager and earlier this year to Teamwear Manager. She says that being involved in Teamwear gives her the opportunity to get even more people wearing KLABU and joining the club to show support for refugees, scaling our impact. What Rie likes the most about KLABU is that everyone is seen as equal - “the labels of refugee or not are taken away, so that together we can create and participate in amazing experiences of sport simply as human beings all together”. This feedback Rie received from her work with the community is something she wholeheartedly agrees with.
Rie's a huge part of the KLABU community
And all our shirt collabs
Rie's passion for human potential also applies to working on herself and her skills.
She took it upon herself to learn design software to complement her natural creativity. Which means she’s now equipped to advise KLABU Teamwear customers on their design customisation, make suggestions or instantly solving problems for them. From unique numbers to names and logos, or even starting a conversation about a completely new KLABU colourway, Rie’s always excited to get stuck into the challenge.
"The labels of refugee or not are taken away, so that we can create and participate in amazing experiences of sport simply as human beings all together."
It brings Rie joy working with people who are engaged in the KLABU cause, because they already have “such a beautiful heart, and care about what’s happening in the world”.
When she hears back at the end of the design and factory process from a happy customer “that they’re all happy and wearing KLABU kits, that makes me really happy”. So while this is Rie’s story, it’s also a personal welcome from her to all the teams who recently joined the club. You’re already winners for powering access to sports for others, but all of us at Team KLABU hope your shirts bring you more team success!
Some of the teams Rie has kitted out
Happy Teamwear supporter, Babette Noverraz of Twelve
MDT developed shirts and bags with Rie
Rutger de Rijk of Samsplan on the Teamwear process
Teamwear Client Pickup FC love their shirts
Do you also want to make an impact and build a better future for refugees, and get your team or company looking super smart with Rie’s help? Head to our Teamwear page or contact Rie at teamwear@klabu.org.
On the Teamwear page you will see all the possibilities, from shirts to bags to balls, and from customisation to creating your own designs with us. We’d be delighted to have you join the KLABU.
Check out Teamwear
"Get in touch with me directly at teamwear@klabu.org. Whatever you want to make, I can’t wait to make it happen."
