Girls in sport: Neustadt launches initiative for strong participation!

Girls in sport: Neustadt launches initiative for strong participation!

In Mainz, the Goethe School shone today under the banner of sport. On the occasion of the kick-off of the SPORT VERNETZT initiative, representatives from various areas celebrated the opportunity to motivate girls between the ages of three and ten through sport. This initiative aims to get girls in socially challenging areas interested in sporting activities at an early and long-term stage. As host, the Girls' Sports Club Mainz e.V. particularly appeals to children in daycare centers and primary schools, in districts where exercise opportunities are in short supply. This also explains why the initiative is set up in cooperation with partners such as SC Lerchenberg, Arc-en-ciel Mainz as well as the Mombacher Turnverein and Basara Mainz. There are currently five active locations in operation and three more are being set up, as sensor-magazin.de reports.

The importance of this project was also underlined by those present. Mayor Daniel Köbler spoke about the social and integrative function of sport and the potential it has for the community. Professor Dr. Tim Bindel from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz emphasized the fundamental role of students in bringing these initiatives to life. Rena Jochum, chairwoman of the girls' sports club, added that protected spaces should be created for girls to offer them a safe environment to play sports. Dominique Göbel, the headmistress of the Goethe Primary School, also emphasized the essential role of sport in the development of children.

Encouraging movement is key

The project aims to counteract the lack of easily accessible exercise options. A study by the Auridis Foundation shows that children from structurally weak social areas often suffer from a lack of exercise, which in turn has negative effects on their health and social development. In this context, the ALBA BERLIN Basketball Team e.V. is developing an exercise promotion concept that is integrated into the social space with the help of local sports clubs, daycare centers and primary schools. Targeted training of trainers ensures that the children receive continuous, high-quality support. This is all part of the effort to integrate children into organized sport at an early stage, as auridis-stiftung.de explains in detail.

Another goal of the initiative is to systematically change the municipal sports system so that the promotion of physical activity can be integrated into children's everyday lives not just in the short term, but sustainably. Sport can therefore be more than just exercise; it becomes an important building block for social integration and community building, as was shown in a study by the Federal Agency for Civic Education. Sport conveys values, team spirit and opens up opportunities for social exchange, especially in multicultural societies.

Finally, a crowdfunding project is underway to finance additional offers for girls, which is intended to give the initiative additional momentum. This networking is not only a step in the right direction, but also has the potential to sustainably strengthen the social fabric and get children moving - in the truest sense of the word.