Once a year, the honorary office comes together at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. Volunteer awards are presented in the 257 soccer districts, and the DFB and its regional associations have been honoring the 100 best of the year in the Club 100 since 1997. In keeping with the 125th anniversary of the association, the Club 100 was increased to 125 volunteers this year. They were honored on Saturday evening in Dortmund.
"It is always inspiring to hear the stories," said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, opening the event. "Voluntary commitment is the foundation of soccer in Germany." Neuendorf spoke of a "great treasure" and a "unique situation in Europe and the world" that must be preserved.
"Thinking long and hard about volunteering"
DFB Vice President Peter Frymuth, responsible for match operations and soccer development, joined in the hymn of praise. "You have to think long and hard about volunteering to see what it does in our society," said the long-standing president of the Lower Rhine Football Association and the West German Football Association. "There is still far too little recognition of what these people achieve here."
Frymuth emphasized the enormous health importance of sport, which could also solve other social problems, such as the shortage of doctors' appointments. That is why it is important to continue to promote volunteering: "Systematic promotion is only possible together with the regional associations and the districts. The DFB is the soccer family, i.e. the associations, the districts and the clubs."
National coach Julian Nagelsmann also took the opportunity to express his appreciation for the volunteers. He addressed the guests at the Football Museum via video message. "I would like to say 'thank you' to you all for your voluntary work," said the national coach. "I've already said several times how important voluntary work and club culture are in Germany. You are a very important part of our society in introducing young people to sport and building their character. Let yourselves be duly celebrated."
And they were duly celebrated. In the afternoon, the Club 100 members were given an exclusive tour of the German Football Museum and marveled at numerous exhibits. From world champion jerseys from 1954 to the ball that the ball boy Noel threw to Joshua Kimmich in the Nations League quarter-final match against Italy two weeks ago to dupe the Italian back line. In addition to the award ceremony, Club 100 members also receive other prizes, such as a visit to an international match as well as balls and mini goals for the club.
More importantly, however, the honorees were able to tell their stories. After initially talking about them, the award winners themselves had their say. Representing the 125 members of this year's Club 100, Heike Zanella, Hamdi Cagir and Rainer Schwaler took to the stage to talk about their activities.
The equipment manager and team supervisor from Berlin, who also organizes the catering at festivals, match days and tournaments and is also the child and youth protection officer. The youth manager from Westphalia, who even brings the soccer schools of Real Madrid or Fenerbahce Istanbul to Herne and also trains an inclusion team. Or the referee from Hesse, who has been active on the whistle for 40 years and has founded a walking football group at the club. There are 125 stories like these three to be heard. All facets of voluntary work in and around soccer were represented in Dortmund.
"Extremely high esteem"
The "soccer hero" Max was there as a representative of the young volunteers. The high school graduate from South Baden drew the loudest applause of the evening with his love letter to volunteering. "You don't give in, you demand a lot from me and sometimes even more, and yet you are an indispensable part of my life. A part that I have learned to appreciate more than many other things," he wrote in it, among other things. And further: "You, dear volunteer, have become a part of me that I don't want to give up again in my life."
Words that will speak from the souls of all 125 award winners in the room. The full letter is available here to read.
DFB Managing Director of Sport Andreas Rettig, European champion and U16 co-coach Lena Lotzen and Bundesliga referee Florian Exner concluded the stage program with a witty round of talks before the most important part of the evening began - celebrating the honorary office with food and drink.
"I've had a lot of great feedback, people are enthusiastic about the program, the museum and the event," reported Bernd Neuendorf later in the evening. And Club 100 member Katharina from the South-West Football Association summed up the mood in Dortmund: "I hope that volunteering is seen even more and receives more recognition. An event like this is great for that because it gives back a lot of appreciation."