"Mainz Sports Award 2025" Presented: ASC Theresianum Takes First Place
12 nominations; entries ranked 1st through 3rd were rated “outstanding.” Daniel Köbler, Head of the Sports Department: “This is proof of the creative and socially relevant work carried out by our sports clubs in Mainz.”
Twelve applications were accepted by the state capital in response to the call for entries for the “Mainz 2025 Sports Award.” The jury—including Daniel Köbler (Director of Sports for the City of Mainz), Eric Najda (HDI Global SE), Vanessa Petri-Knauer (representative of 1. FSV Mainz 05), Eric Hartmann (representative of VRM), Dieter Ebert (representative of the Mainz City Sports Association), and Annika Rosenbach, a top artistic cyclist from the Radsportverein 1925 Mainz-Ebersheim e.V.—rated the first through third-place entries as “outstanding.”
First place went to ASC Theresianum Mainz e.V., which impressed the jury with its submitted project “WellPlayed. WellBeing.”
Second place went to the Mädchensportverein Mainz e.V. for its expansion of girls’ sports programs in Mainz’s Neustadt district.
Third place went to the Mombacher Turnverein 1861 e.V. for its project “Im Alter auf Leben.”
“The submitted projects impressively demonstrate how creative and socially relevant the work of our Mainz sports clubs is,” emphasizes Daniel Köbler, Head of the Sports Department. “Whether it’s holistic preventive health care, targeted programs for girls in the neighborhood, or exercise programs for people with dementia—the clubs make an invaluable contribution to social cohesion in our urban community. I would like to extend my special thanks to our partners, without whose financial and moral support this award—now in its ninth year—would not be possible.”
As a special honor, representatives of the top three winners will be invited to a home game of 1. FSV Mainz 05 at the MEWA ARENA, where the official award ceremony will also take place. But the other nine nominees won’t go away empty-handed either: they will receive a small financial award in recognition of their important work.
The “SportPreis Mainz” is sponsored by the state capital of Mainz in collaboration with HDI Global SE, the Mainz City Sports Association, and 1. FSV Mainz 05. All Mainz-based clubs, schools, and active recreational sports groups registered with the Rheinhessen Sports Federation are eligible to participate.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE AWARD WINNERS
1st Place: ASC Theresianum Mainz e.V.
- Project: “WellPlayed. WellBeing.”
- Description: A holistic development program for youth players and coaches that combines athletic training with personal development.
- Focus: Sustainable health prevention that goes beyond a purely performance-oriented mindset, based on three pillars: nutrition (Smart Fuel), cycle-based training (Own your Cycle), and sports psychology (Mental Power).
2nd Place: Mädchensportverein Mainz e.V.
- Project: Expansion of programs for girls
- Description: Needs-based expansion of sports programs for girls in Mainz’s Neustadt district
- Focus: Creating safe spaces and diverse sports experiences through targeted athletic partnerships between the club and local schools (Goethe Elementary School and Feldberg School); initiatives such as “Open Sunday” as a neighborhood networking project.
3rd Place: Mombacher Turnverein 1861 e.V.
- Project: “Im Alter auf Leben” (in cooperation with the German Gymnastics Federation)
- Description: Establishing sustainable exercise programs for inactive seniors and people with dementia.
- Focus: Expansion of the “Franz-Vlasdeck-Anlage” to include an intergenerational exercise course with ten motivational signs in September 2025. Inauguration featuring a diverse program of events and participation from various generations and institutions (e.g., AWO Senior Center, Sportfinder-AG). Additional event days such as “Fit im Park.”
General Information About the “Mainz Sports Award”
Together with HDI Global SE in Mainz, the Mainz City Sports Association, and 1. FSV Mainz 05, the state capital of Mainz is awarding the 2025 Mainz Sports Prize to Mainz-based sports clubs, schools, and recreational sports initiatives for their exceptional and innovative sports programs.
This marks the ninth time the “SportPreis” has been awarded.
Eligibility, Application Process
All Mainz-based clubs registered with the Rheinhessen Sports Federation, public schools in Mainz, and groups active in recreational sports that can demonstrate they have been active in Mainz for some time are eligible to participate.
Twelve clubs have been accepted for the 2025 SportPreis.
Prize money: A total of 5,750 euros, provided by the partners HDI Global SE, 1. FSV Mainz 05, the Mainz City Sports Association, and the State Capital of Mainz.
Goal: Through financial and symbolic recognition, the award aims to honor and support the exceptional commitment of these groups and institutions to sports.
Jury: The jury consists of representatives from HDI Global SE, the Mainz City Sports Association, 1. FSV Mainz 05, the State Capital of Mainz, and the Mainz sports press. In addition, a top athlete from Mainz is always invited to the jury meeting.
Award Ceremony: The award will be presented during a 1. FSV Mainz 05 home game in the upcoming season.
Special thanks go to our partners HDI Global SE, the Mainz City Sports Association, and 1. FSV Mainz 05.