Thomas Hardel (71) has been President of the State Sports Association, the umbrella organization of Berlin sports, since 2018.
What images come to mind when you read Sportmetropole Berlin? Perhaps those of our professional teams whose successes have earned Berlin the unofficial title of Europe’s ballgames capital.
Or those of great events like the Berlin Marathon, the FINALS, the Istaf, the DFB Cup final. These are beacons that shine far beyond our city. But below the spotlight, at the base, there is also an incredible amount of vital sporting life.
I can think of trainers, for example, who not only teach children the technique of a sport every day – they also teach them values such as team spirit, respect and fair play.
Coordinated by the sports youth, they also go to day-care centers and schools with their clubs because they alone cannot mitigate the mega-topic of lack of exercise. Ideally, lifelong sports biographies and sometimes a competitive sports career develop here.
Clubs such as FC Internationale, which not only stands out for their social responsibility, for example when it comes to homework help, but also when it comes to sustainability, show how diverse and innovative this world is at the grassroots level.
In the club, it always starts from the bottom up with great ideas from volunteers. This commitment carries the whole sport.
I can think of trainers, for example, who not only teach children the technique of a sport every day – they also teach them values such as team spirit, respect and fair play.
Thomas Hardel about the special role of sport
Clubs set themselves big goals, for example Pfeffersport, which won the national competition Stars of Sports with its “Mission Inclusion” and manages in an exemplary manner that everyone in the neighborhoods can take part in sports, whether with or without disabilities and regardless of their origin or character .
Sport is an invitation to everyone, says our LSB mission statement. For example, we have already trained more than 175 refugees to become licensed trainers, who then promote, inspire and empower the sport in their communities. Incidentally, this is particularly important when it comes to swimming.
Whether it’s a team, sports club, sports association, athlete, referee, trainer, or board member – it’s always about people. Each and every one of them has their own story, at first glance they sometimes appear unspectacular, but when we ask questions we often learn things that move and touch, stimulate further thinking and act as role models.
I am happy if we can tell many of these stories and read more about them here in the Tagesspiegel in the future.
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
