Numerous clubs, especially smaller ones in rural areas, are facing the same problem: the influx of children and young people that has been the norm for many decades is increasingly drying up. In many places, there are no longer enough teams of their own in the various age groups. Some football clubs based in the municipalities of Reiskirchen and Grünberg therefore took action three years ago and founded their own club, the JSG Wirberg. Here, only the youngsters from the various clubs in the municipality play for goals and league points.
JSG Wirberg is currently represented in the various competitions in the A to G youth age groups. A large group within the club is made up of the B-youth, i.e. the 15 and 16-year-olds. Twenty-five players regularly attend training on the sports field in Saasen. Of course, this requires balls. "Getting enough of them is a real problem for a small club like ours, which also only has young members," explains Tim Simasek, youth manager at SV Harbach. That's why he turned to the "Play your game" campaign. And was rewarded with a commitment. "JSG Wirberg practises youth work at its best," confirms Stephanie Orlik, responsible for sponsorship at Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG). "This makes the club a prime example of a 'Spiel'-Dein-Spiel' project."
Irrespective of this, SWG's donation is not limited to the urgently needed 25 footballs. Uniform clothing was also required. That's why the support package from SWG also included 25 sweatshirts. "It's just different when the boys go out onto the pitch to warm up wearing the same tops," says Tim Simasek, alluding to the team spirit. "The identical outfit simply promotes a feeling of togetherness. And that's an important factor for success."
Further information: www.swg-spieldeinspiel.de