Wenn aus einem Wettkampf echte Begegnungen werden

When competition turns into genuine connections

The first STAY2GROW football tournament successfully brings students and companies together

Around 200 people, 15 teams, four pitches and plenty of goals: At the first STAY2GROW Football Cup on Saturday in Kamp-Lintfort, it was about much more than just sport. Above all, it was about meeting and connecting with others, exchanging ideas, and bringing people from the university, local businesses and the wider community together.

On four artificial-turf pitches, the ball was rolling simultaneously from 2 p.m. on September 26: 15 teams competed in the STAY2GROW football tournament in a 5-a-side format. Taking part were six student teams as well as nine teams from companies and institutions across the region. The participating teams represented HODEY, LINEG, the City of Neukirchen-Vluyn, Triopt, Milestone, Sparkasse Duisburg, MKB Steuerberatung, Fachmann Personaldienstleistung and Asdonkshof Kamp-Lintfort.

From the very beginning, the atmosphere at the SV Alemannia Kamp e.V. grounds was characterised more by team spirit than by fierce competition. All the teams had come up with creative names, and "Die hässlichen Enten“ ("The Ugly Ducks"), the “KWA Machinen”, “Steuerfrei Moers” and the “Hodey Kickers” all gave it their all in the race for a place in the final. A total of five referees ensured fair play across the four pitches. Among them was a true local football legend: despite his cancer diagnosis, Rigo Müller said he was especially happy to step onto the pitch with the whistle once again. It was a personal wish close to his heart – one that came true at the STAY2GROW tournament.

There was also plenty going on off the pitch. Many family members, friends and acquaintances of the players came along to cheer on their teams. Around 200 people attended the sports grounds throughout the afternoon. Providing additional support from the sidelines was Dr. Christoph Müllmann, Head of Sports for the City of Kamp-Lintfort, who followed the tournament from the touchline: “The STAY2GROW tournament is a great example of how sport can bring people together. It provides an easy and informal opportunity for students, companies and people from the local community to meet and connect. It is precisely these kinds of encounters that make a region a great place to live and create connections that reach far beyond the football pitch.”

From the group stage to the final

The action was intense from the very start, with plenty of competitive spirit already on display during the group stage. Four groups battled it out for a place in the quarter-finals. The semi-finals then delivered even more excitement, until it was finally decided: LINEG and “Genesis”, a student team from HSRW’s Kleve campus, had secured their places in the final.

Anyone expecting an evenly matched final after the closely contested games earlier in the tournament was in for a surprise. “Genesis” displayed tremendous team spirit and determination to win, ultimately leaving the equally motivated LINEG team with little chance. With a convincing 4–0 victory, the international students from HSRW’s Kleve campus secured the tournament title. A large travelling trophy was presented to the winning team, and one thing is clear to everyone who took part: there will be a repeat next year.

Football as a gateway to meaningful connections

For STAY2GROW, the event was a great success. The tournament provided an informal and accessible setting for bringing international students from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW) and regional companies together. And that is precisely what STAY2GROW is all about, explains Project Lead Josephine Runge: “We want to create opportunities for genuine, low-threshold encounters that might not otherwise happen so easily. On the football pitch, you play together, cheer each other on, start conversations – and get to know one another almost naturally.” An initial meeting with potential for the future: “Personal conversations like these can also lead to internships or even, in the long term, professional opportunities for students,” adds Project Assistant Sarah Bothen.

The concept worked: Between matches, there was cheering, lively discussion, plenty of laughter – and, of course, the occasional debate over a missed scoring opportunity. Company teams and student teams met on equal terms, and it was not uncommon for players from both sides to remain together on the sidelines after the final whistle. “Normally, companies and students tend to meet in a professional or university setting. Here, you get to know people simply as people – and that is exactly where the best conversations come from,” says Gudrun Hodey, Managing Director of HODEY Vitalcentrum.

One HSRW student summed it up after the tournament: “You come here to play football and leave with lots of new contacts and a sense of belonging to the region that you didn’t have before.”

The relaxed atmosphere and diverse mix of participants were what made the tournament particularly special for both players and spectators. “We’ll be back next year,” was the clear takeaway from the day.

A big thank you goes to our co-organiser, the StadtSportVerband Kamp-Lintfort, as well as SV Alemannia Kamp e.V., which provided its new sports facilities for the event and supported us on site with numerous dedicated volunteers.

Another big thank you goes to all of our sponsors. Without the commitment and support of the association, the club and the companies, an event like this would not have been possible.

Our tournament in pictures

Giving it their all: The team from the Neukirchen-Vluyn city administration takes on one of the HSRW teams. Local football legend Rigo Müller keeps a close eye on the action with a watchful referee’s eye.

A hard-fought battle between the HODEY team from Kamp-Lintfort and Sparkasse Duisburg. Unfortunately, both teams were eliminated after the group stage.

Kamp-Lintfort’s Head of Sports, Dr. Christoph Müllmann, and SV Alemannia Kamp Chairman Karsten Kempken clearly enjoyed watching the action.

The LINEG team initially won all of its matches convincingly. It was only in the final that the Kamp-Lintfort-based team, made up of both men and women, were defeated, losing 0–4 to the HSRW team “Genesis” from Kleve.

We at STAY2GROW also had a great time and are already looking forward to next year’s tournament, which will take place on the last weekend of September. (Back row, left to right: Beate Träm, Daniela Scholten-Pfeiffer, Michelle Puiskens, Josephine Runge; front row, left to right: Eliza Kliuchnyk and Sarah Bothen)

A confident performance and a well-deserved victory: The “Genesis” team from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences travelled all the way from Kleve to take part. They can now proudly call the huge travelling trophy theirs for the next year.

Fair play all around: There was just one yellow card throughout the entire tournament. The players clearly enjoyed themselves and were happy to celebrate each other’s goals.