Lich Basketball e. V. has made a name for itself as a talent factory for top-class basketball players. The club is also involved in schools, daycare centres and care homes. SWG honours this with a donation as part of the "Play your game" campaign.
800 children, week after week - that's how well attended "Bewegung macht stark", the youth project of Lich Basketball e. V. "We are out and about in 20 schools, six daycare centres, a youth home and a prison to get young people moving," summarises Dr Annette Gümbel, Chairwoman of the association. There are two sensible ideas behind this: Of course, the club is trying to get children and young people interested in basketball as early as possible, to encourage them and thus ensure the next generation of players. However, the social component is at least as important: "We also offer young people who live in institutions or in prison the opportunity to demonstrate or develop their sporting skills," adds Dr Annette Gümbel. The association is particularly proud of its cooperation with the school for the deaf in Friedberg. There are currently plans to further expand its expertise in the social field: "We will soon be setting up a special team for people with disabilities," announces the Chairwoman.
A lot of material is needed for the work in the various facilities. And that has to be stored somewhere. Because the training sessions at the Erich Kästner School lacked a suitable cupboard, Dr Annette Gümbel applied to the SWG "Spiel' Dein Spiel" campaign. And with success. "There's no better way for a club to fulfil the expectations we have of a donation," says Stephanie Orlik, who works in marketing at SWG, explaining the reason for the award. It is worth hard cash: SWG is supporting the purchase of an equipment cabinet for a sports hall with 750 euros. "That almost covers our costs," says a delighted Dr Annette Gümbel.
Independently of the "Exercise is fun" project, Lich Basketball e. V. carries out exemplary youth work. Experienced coaches introduce children and young people to basketball in numerous teams, some of which are newly formed. This is also reflected in the number of members. It has now risen to over 400 athletes. The age range is enormous. Children as young as three can take part in the day-care centre sport. But the adult teams also have an important function: the active players serve as role models. "Playing in one of our men's or women's teams later on is a great goal for the younger ones," says Dr Annette Gümbel.
Corona-related breaks
The cheque was originally scheduled to be handed over to Lich Basketball e. V. in mid-March. But then came corona. "In order to reduce the risk of infection, we suspended all our activities where several people come together," says Stephanie Orlik, explaining the long break. Between July and October, SWG restarted the campaign and made donations to organisations that provide meaningful exercise opportunities for young people or children. The current second lockdown has led to a further interruption of "Spiel' Dein Spiel". However, this only affects the official handover dates. SWG will continue to accept applications at www.spieldeinspiel.de/bewerbung.