Little bandits start trial training: athletics for kids!

Little bandits start trial training: athletics for kids!

An exciting sporting event is being launched in Gadebusch: next September 12th and 26th, 2025, the children's sports group “Little Bandits” invites you to a free trial training session in athletics. This event is aimed at children and young people between the ages of 5 and 16 and takes place at 3 p.m. on the sports field at the museum complex. 15 parents have already registered for the first training sessions, and interest in becoming a trainer is also high. In doing so, the “Little Bandits” are sending a clear signal for the promotion of sport in the region, as nordkurier.de reports.

The trial training offers young athletes the opportunity to try out different athletics disciplines. The focus here is on the joy of exercise, and the “Little Bandits” want to make it easier for as many children and young people as possible to have access to this exciting sport. The event is not only open to children from Gadebusch and also invites young athletes from neighboring towns.

Karl August Baum Memorial Run

The trial training sessions are part of a larger initiative that also includes the memorial run in honor of the Gadebusch athlete Karl-August Baum. This run took place in July 2023 and attracts numerous participants every year, most recently there were around 250, as kultur-mv.de reports. The event's patron, German discus throw record holder Jürgen Schult, emphasizes the importance of such events for the local community and young athletes. Mayor Arne Schlien describes the memorial run as a special moment that illustrates the city's connection to its sporting heritage.

The proceeds from the memorial run flow into a children's project in the city of Gadebusch and therefore directly benefit the youngsters. Registration for the race is currently open, with registration fees of 5 euros for participants up to 12 years old and 15 euros for older athletes. The registration deadline is set for May 30, 2025.

The development of athletics for children

Athletics has been growing in popularity for years. A look at the development of this sport shows that the requirements and competition structures for young athletes have changed significantly compared to 1973. Since June 2012, the German Athletics Association (DLV) has established a differentiated competition program for young talent, which enables club boards to plan and organize the competitions in a targeted manner. This ensures that more and more children and young people can get to know the competitive atmosphere that makes athletics so unique. A positive development that is also of great importance for the “Little Bandits” because they actively contribute to promoting young talent by not only offering training opportunities, but also becoming active in sports through projects such as trial training.

The “Little Bandits” follow in the tradition of successful Gadebusch track and field athletes such as Siegfried Stark and Leonide Baum. The latter won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships, while his daughter Jana Müller-Schmidt is pursuing ambitious goals as a 39-time German champion and ten-time senior world shot put champion. It is a circle of tradition, training and future that allows the city to continue to shine in the field of sports.