“A prime example of the bridges that sport can build.”

Ten locations. More than 1,000 participating children between the ages of eight and twelve. The „San Antonio Sports Fiesta Del Futbol Clinics“ sparked a huge soccer fever throughout the city of San Antonio on June 13th.

The two-hour, free training sessions were organised by San Antonio Sports, a non-profit organisation whose primary goal is to transform the community through the power of sports. Access to sports in the USA is often expensive, and San Antonio Sports ensures that children and teenagers, in particular, have a wide range of options to choose from.

During a delegation trip in March, SV Darmstadt 98 had already made initial contact with Jenny Carnes, President and CEO of the organisation, during a joint meeting and discussed the possibility of the Lilies participating in the planned training sessions in June. In the following months, the project was further developed and, thanks to the support of Craft Sportswear North America, culminated in a special form of support: All participating children trained in a special shirt, provided by Craft Sportswear North America specifically for this occasion, which also featured the Darmstadt 98 logo. More than 1,000 enthusiastic participants in San Antonio wore shirts from Darmstadt 98’s official outfitter, Craft Sportswear North America, with the SV Darmstadt 98 logo on the back. „Football that unites“ couldn’t be better embodied.

„This is a fantastic opportunity for Craft Sportswear North America to connect with the city of San Antonio and the outstanding organisation San Antonio Sports,“ said Reagan Smith of Craft Sportswear North America, who had first made contact with Carnes at the SV Darmstadt 98 Welcome Reception in March. This connection was sparked by their shared ties to the club. „Football that unifies.“

These connections were also evident on the evening of June 13th at the panel discussion entitled „Sports Diplomacy: Goals Beyond Borders.“ Held at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, and once again thanks to the support of Craft Sportswear North America, the event featured a panel discussion on various topics related to the unifying power of soccer, international collaborations, and the special connection between SV Darmstadt 98 and San Antonio FC. Before an audience of approximately 50, Martin Kowalewski, Jose Lizardo, Director of the Toyota Field and Star Soccer Complex at San Antonio FC, and Shahrzad Dowlatshahi, Chief Diplomacy & Protocol Officer for the City of San Antonio, offered insights, discussed various overarching themes, and answered questions from the guests and media representatives.

The panel was moderated by Jhannet Sanchez, sports journalist and television presenter for Telemundo San Antonio.

The event was organised by the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, headed by Armen Babajanian, Chief Executive Officer. The World Affairs Council of San Antonio is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organisation dedicated to promoting public understanding of global affairs. One example is the transatlantic cooperation between SV Darmstadt 98 and Spurs Sports & Entertainment, linked to the city partnership between Darmstadt and San Antonio.

The parallel start of the FIFA World Cup in the USA also served as a catalyst for both events. The tournament generates significant excitement in the United States, particularly during June and July, and the US hopes it will have a lasting impact on the ever-growing US soccer sector. Fittingly, the panel discussion was followed by an opportunity for further networking while watching the Brazil vs. Morocco match together.

The following day (June 14th) saw another special event supported by SV Darmstadt 98 and Craft Sportswear North America. The Goal Impact Foundation, another non-profit organisation dedicated to youth development through sports, education, leadership, and soccer/cultural programs, hosted the Global Soccer Experience Day, where 40 children participated in a free training session. The two-hour session was led by licensed coaches at the Mainland Sports Complex.

What made it particularly special for Darmstadt residents was that, thanks to the support of Craft Sportswear North America and SV Darmstadt 98, all the children were able to complete the session wearing a Darmstadt 98 jersey, which was provided free of charge. After the session, Goal Impact and SV Darmstadt 98 organised a joint „watch party“ with a BBQ to watch the German national team’s opening match against Curaçao.

The successful conclusion of two eventful days with three special events allowed Martin Kowalewski to draw a comprehensive and positive overall conclusion: “It all started almost two years ago with our cooperation with San Antonio FC and Spurs Sports and Entertainment. What has happened since then is a prime example of the bridges that sport can build. This sensational partnership has allowed us to involve many other parties, and we are incredibly pleased with the overall picture of this collaboration.”

The Managing Director of Marketing & Sales at SV 98 Darmstadt further emphasised: “All three events were perfectly organised, and I am incredibly proud to see so many Texas children wearing our logo or even our jerseys on those days. A huge thank you goes to Craft Sportswear North America for supporting the three events and their willingness to contribute to this partnership. We would also like to thank San Antonio Sports, the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, and the Goal Impact Foundation. These three organisations are committed to giving back to the community – a mindset we at SV 98 also embrace, which is why we were happy to support these projects. We are also grateful once again to San Antonio FC and the city of San Antonio, without whom this close network and the continuous expansion of our collaboration would not be possible. Football that unites. We will continue to live by this motto together. This city partnership and sports cooperation between San Antonio and Darmstadt exemplifies how authentic international cooperation can succeed across national borders – by considering and combining sporting, economic, and social aspects equally.”

The managing director of Marketing & Sales at SV 98 Darmstadt Martin Kowalewski concluded: “Now we are very much looking forward to the next chapter in September and our test match in San Antonio.”