In 1994 I started kickboxing at Tom Vriend's Sokudo-gym. Because it was hard to fight matches on a regular basis in that time, I started boxing besides kickboxing. I had 5 matches of kickboxing and I was invited for a boxmatch in Germany.
It would be my first trip to a foreign country, so I certainly couldn't refuse! I got a German opponent, she had a few matches before, but nonetheless I won the match persuadingly.
From that moment, I decided to continue boxing, and soon I got the oppertunity to fight against an Austrian. It was a qualification match for the European titel.
Again I fought a wonderful match, the Austrians were impressed. I'd lost the match, but the public totally disagreed. My opponent was hissed, and I'd never had such a strange experience before.
The name Esther Schouten made it's way around the boxing world, en that's how it started.