With sc Heerenveen, Mudguard brought street culture north. Inside the Abe Lenstra Stadion, creativity became a tool for reflection, ambition and expression. A workshop that showed how storytelling and design can help young people shape their own direction.
From classroom to stadium
On April 17, 2025, Mudguard hosted a workshop at the Abe Lenstra Stadion together with sc Heerenveen. Around twenty MBO students stepped into the stadium, a place usually reserved for matchdays, now transformed into a creative space. Together with Ruben, the session was set up to go deeper than a standard workshop.
Mudguard founder Kik shared the raw reality of starting young. Not just the highlights, but the doubts, mistakes and choices along the way. The talk focused on standing out, building something that lasts and understanding which strategies actually work when you are trying to grow a brand from the ground up.
Listening first, creating after
At the start, the group was quiet. Focused. Taking everything in. As the session progressed, the atmosphere shifted. Questions followed. Hands went up. Curiosity took over. Conversations opened up around entrepreneurship, creativity and building a personal vision.
Then it was time to create. Each participant translated their own story into a t-shirt concept. Some designs were personal. Others bold or playful. Every concept carried meaning. That is where the focus lies. Not on the cleanest sketch, but on the story behind it. In fashion, you don’t just sell a product. You sell what it stands for.
Built for the long run
After the workshop ended, several students stayed behind to ask more questions. A clear sign that something had been sparked. For sc Heerenveen, the collaboration fit seamlessly with their commitment to youth and community. For Mudguard, it reinforced the belief that creativity empowers, no matter the city or region.
This collaboration is not a one-off. In December 2025, Mudguard will return to the stadium for another workshop. Because culture is not built in a single moment. It is built over time.
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