TSG Oberursel celebrates 5000 members – a new hall is urgently needed!

TSG Oberursel celebrates 5000 members – a new hall is urgently needed!

There is reason to be happy in Oberursel. The Oberursel gymnastics and sports community (TSGO) is celebrating its 5,000th member. Eight-year-old Sonia Schmidt, who actively participates in the hip-hop course, was warmly welcomed by President Kerstin Korn and Vice President Harald Perl. To honor her, she received a gift consisting of a certificate, a T-shirt and a backpack full of club items. Her father, Johannes Schmidt, was surprised with a voucher for 5,000 hours of club membership. This event not only illustrates the attractiveness of the club, but also the commitment of the TSGO to its members, who do not want to miss out on the sports on offer, especially in times when access to indoor paths is restricted, such as [FNP].

The TSGO has continually reinvented itself since its founding in 1861. After it was re-established in 1946 after the Nazi era, the number of members rose from 160 to an impressive 5,000. But with this growth in membership also came challenges. The corona pandemic in particular has meant that many groups, such as parent-child gymnastics and the handball department, have to go on waiting lists. This has made the situation even more tense, as the capacities in the halls are severely limited. Many children currently have to wait up to a year for a place.

Urgent need for hall space

A pressing problem facing TSGO is the lack of hall capacity. President Korn would like a multifunctional training hall on a 5,000 square meter property. The association has already submitted a proposal for a suitable property, which has been positively received by the city. Nevertheless, the city of Oberursel promised years ago to provide an area that is still not available today. “We have been waiting since 2017,” explained Jutta Stahl, managing director of TSGO. The closed school gymnasiums are particularly problematic, making the situation even worse. According to Tsg-oberursel.de, the city is also eyeing planned sales of sports fields in order to finance a new swimming pool, which does not make the situation any easier for the TSGO.

The construction costs for the planned hall have currently risen to around two million euros, and the city administration is already 'duty' to look for solutions. The TSGO hopes that the property behind the Erich Kästner School could lead to a solution. Negotiations are ongoing, with the city administration acknowledging the difficulties in finding land. The pressure remains high for the TSGO, especially since Bad Homburg has withdrawn all indoor time and only two training sessions per week are permitted until autumn.

A look at the club landscape

The TSGO situation is not an isolated case. Sports clubs in Germany are an important institution for access to sports facilities and sporting offerings. In 2024 there were around 85,900 sports clubs in Germany, but the numbers are declining. Despite all this, over 25 million people in Germany are members of a sports club, with sports such as football and gymnastics standing out. Especially against the background of these figures, it is unfortunate that the TSGO is facing serious challenges due to a lack of indoor spaces and increased demand, as Statista states.

The TSGO remains a shining example of the positive development of sports clubs in the region, while also reflecting the challenges faced by many similar organizations. The road to a new hall remains rocky, but the club's determination and commitment promise that Oberursel will continue to develop sportingly in the future.