01.11.2026 / English
From the Böllenfalltor to the village square: 26 Lilies professionals in the Odenwald
Showing solidarity and celebrating amateur football: SV Darmstadt 98 visited 13 amateur clubs in the Odenwald region on Sunday (November 1st). 26 professional players from the club used the visits to engage with the local people.
They are the foundation of football: the volunteers, coaches, players, and club officials who dedicate themselves with passion week after week, both on and off the pitches throughout the region. To recognize this commitment and strengthen their connection to the region, SV Darmstadt 98 sent a total of 26 professional players to 13 amateur clubs in the Odenwald. There, the Lilies players experienced football as they remember it from their own childhoods.
The program varied slightly from club to club. They played table football, practiced shooting at the crossbar, and signed autographs, but above all, they talked: with fans, youth players, and club officials. The SVD professionals also watched the host clubs‘ matches live, gaining firsthand insight into the daily life of the clubs beyond the professional game.
As a club, it is important for us to strengthen the connection with the fans and to support the volunteers.
For the hosts, the visit offered not only an opportunity to put their club in the spotlight and showcase their week-to-week achievements, but also a focus on promoting young talent: an accompanying prize draw gave clubs the chance to win additional financial support for their youth programs.
It's nice for the kids to see that the professionals are approachable and come to the small clubs where they themselves may have once played.
The Odenwald region is an important part of the Darmstadt 98 family. Numerous people from the region eagerly follow the team’s every match and spread their enthusiasm for SV Darmstadt far beyond the city limits. SV Darmstadt 98’s visits to the region are just one piece of a mosaic of diverse initiatives the club is undertaking this season to highlight its close ties to the Odenwald. From the start of preseason training in Lindenfels-Winterkasten and special Odenwald merchandise, to a match featuring the club’s veterans team at the Erbach fair and various appearances at local festivals, to discount campaigns, poster promotions, and prize draws: SV Darmstadt 98 has left its mark on the region in recent months and plans further activities in the Odenwald in the coming months.