The artificial turf pitch is becoming too expensive

The reports from the departments were the focus of the annual general meeting of SV Garitz, with the successes of the teams facing the concerns of those responsible in relation to the lack of voluntary trainers. Almost half of the 804 members are children and young people who play soccer, handball, table tennis, all-around combat or gymnastics.

Chairman Oliver Mainberger reported in the sports restaurant that the number of members has increased by 50. His colleague on the board, Tanja Sadowski, presented the cash report, which shows income and expenditure in excess of EUR 100,000 and a surplus that was used for unscheduled repayments of the existing loans. “Our goal is to become debt-free as quickly as possible,” says Tanja Sadowski.

Stefan Glöckler, responsible for the club’s economic area, reported on the conversion of the floodlights to LED lighting. Thanks to generous funding, this could be implemented at the beginning of 2023, which is associated with energy savings of 70 percent. The floodlight system can now be dimmed and controlled via an app “that every trainer has on their cell phone”.

A very expensive construction site is the artificial turf field, which is in a very bad condition. Due to existing usufruct agreements with the city, the sports club is responsible, but there are sums that the club cannot bear.

According to Glöckler, the theater square can be used again for the Rakoczyfest 2023, even if there are restrictions in terms of the stage and dance floor due to the redesign. The spaces for booths and seating have been planned, but it is difficult to get suppliers for the structures, to absorb the price increases and to activate helpers.

The department reports started with football and Dominik Werner informed about the promotion of the first team to the current season, a very young and therefore inexperienced squad as well as the course of the season with ups and downs. It was also a rollercoaster ride for the second team, although “this is important in order to introduce young players to the first team”.

Youth leader Grit Karsten counted 130 players in seven youth teams, and “that without a syndicate”. Then she informed about the teams from the U7 to the U18 and regretted that at the end of the season two trainers ended their years of commitment

Stefanie Marci and Tanja Sadowski informed about the handball juniors. The minis and the E and D youth are played in tournaments without rating, with the girls from Garitz being successful. With 50 children in the three classes, you are “at your limit”, so you had to create a waiting list for the fall.

The C and B handball youth were both very young teams that still held their own in their class and have big plans for the next round because the teams can appear in identical formations. The women of the SG Garitz / Nüdlingen took 7th place in the Oberfranken district league, although they were shaken by failures and three players took care of the training and support at the games.

Yves Engels from the Allkampf department reported 51 active participants, 46 of whom were children and young people. There are seven active athletes in the performance group who were very successful at tournaments in Slovenia or Bregenz, at championships in Regensburg or Cologne. Allkampf and Taekwondo as martial arts are presented at the Kissingen Association Days, the tent theater week and the Kissingen holiday programme.

Table tennis department head Martin Goldstein was happy about a “complete season”, with the 1st team taking 3rd place and the 2nd team taking 5th place in the past season. Two “four-man teams” are planned again for the next season, although it is not known which mode the district will decide on.

In the gymnastics department, says Hiltrud Laus, children up to the age of six are looked after in two groups. Gymnastics and ball games are in the foreground and the wish “that a group for older children can be founded”.

The announced change to the association’s statutes was approved without any problems, so that in future the members only have to be invited to the annual general meeting via the local press and the association’s showcase. Inquiries were made in relation to perimeter advertising. Desirable, but difficult to implement on the sports field, was the response of the chairman. In addition, companies are more reluctant in the current economic situation or prefer to sponsor jerseys or training clothes.

An increase in membership fees was also suggested: understandable, because everything would be more expensive, but on the other hand there was a fear of losing members – that was the tenor of the discussion.

Finally, Oliver Mainberger pointed out upcoming dates: June 23rd bonfire at the sports grounds, July 7th to 9th camp at Farnsberg, September 4th to 7th St. Pauli football camp at the Garitzer sports grounds. kws