“Today we are opening the door to a place of encounter. A place for young people in our city who might otherwise never have met. And that’s what’s so great about this project,” explained Lilien board member Roy Reinelt-Peter in his opening speech to around 120 people, including many representatives from city politics. From now on, children and teenagers can participate in the free program every Thursday from 5 to 7pm. Materials will be provided at the open meeting.
Reinelt-Peter, who is responsible for the amateur divisions and the fan and support department at SV 98, added: “From our perspective, boxing is a tool for learning discipline, respect, and self-confidence. Here, rules are respected, boundaries are recognised, and responsibility for one another is taken. And this is precisely where SV Darmstadt 98’s social responsibility in our city is demonstrated.” The 45-year-old continued: “We’re not simply taking over a department from another sports club by opening one department and weakening others; instead, we’re building together with strong partners and creating self-sustaining structures.” Mayor Barbara Akdeniz was also present and emphasised the importance of the project in her opening speech. After further speeches, things got underway: In a roughly 45-minute program, the children and teenagers were introduced to the intricacies of boxing under the guidance of trainers. The evening concluded with food and drinks. SV 98 looks forward to welcoming as many interested kids as possible to the Darmstadt Boxing Club in the Baas Hall every Thursday from 5pm.