With or without a disability: Young people train together
Play soccer together, have fun together
Opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in club sports are rare—but working together as a team can change that. Sportfreunde Blau-Gelb Marburg and Steinmühle, which have been partners for nearly three years, have teamed up with the Kerstin-Heim and fib e.V. to form a unified soccer team. Training sessions are now held regularly—and everyone is having a great time together.
The kickoff event at the Steinmühle grounds was well attended. It’s not every day you get to meet a women’s World Cup champion! Projects like this are close to Nia Künzer’s heart. Her stated goal: greater social inclusion for people with disabilities.
“That’s what we want to achieve,” says Egon Vaupel. As chairman of the soccer department at Sportfreunde Blau-Gelb Marburg and chairman of the Steinmühle club, he serves as a link between the two institutions. Known as a doer, he quickly enlisted the support of Steinmühle School Principal Bernd Holly and Managing Director Dirk Konnertz. Also on board: Special Olympics Germany in Hesse, the State Sports Federation, and the Marburg-Biedenkopf Sports District.
The young people quickly took a liking to the soccer-golf course and soccer billiards. At the goal-shooting station, the challenge was to see who could take the hardest shot. “We don’t take everything too seriously,” explained Anne Effe of Special Olympics Germany. “The focus is on having fun—and above all, on the fact that people with and without disabilities are playing soccer together here.”
The Blau-Gelb Marburg Sports Club and Steinmühle wholeheartedly endorse this philosophy. After all, “Friendship for Life” is the motto of the men’s and women’s soccer teams at the stadium on Zwetschenweg. The fact that Steinmühle is currently moving into its new sports hall—which will also be used by people with disabilities—brings everything together: “We share the same philosophy. It’s just a perfect fit.”
The sports student council, along with students from Steinmühle’s advanced sports course, were heavily involved in planning the obstacle course, explained physical education teacher Marcel Kalb. This had both a sports-related and an educational component.
The newly formed Unified Team will meet every 14 days for practice at the Steinmühle, starting immediately. Of course, it’s unlikely that as many spectators as at the kickoff event will show up again. To kick off the initiative, the Marburg Lions Club donated 1,500 euros, which was officially presented—a great opportunity for a group photo featuring numerous representatives from the participating institutions and the local political scene.
Perhaps some of you will still remember, even weeks or months from now, the active team that will now be getting together every other Monday starting at 5 p.m. at the Steinmühle grounds to have fun. Your presence and applause are always welcome.
