Great honor for successful German coaches: In a ceremonial ceremony at the German Sports and Olympic Museum in Cologne, the first ten personalities were inducted into the newly founded German “Hall of Fame” for coaches.
The initiator is the coaching academy of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2024.
The first ten members are the national swimming coach Bernd Berkhahn (54), the former national handball coach Heiner Brand (73), the former national biathlon coach Fritz Fischer (69), the long-time sports scientist Ulrich Hartmann (72), the former javelin throw world champion and later coach Steffi Nerius (53), the former National hockey coach Bernhard Peters (65), the former national wrestling coach Lothar Ruch (67), the former handball and hockey coach Zlatan Siric-Bernhard (83), the national rowing coach Sabine Tschäge (55) and, posthumously, the former national hockey coach Hugo Budinger, who died in 2017 at the age of 90 Founded the Cologne Coaching Academy in 1974 and was its first director.
More members are expected to follow every year
The selection was made by a five-member jury with the director of the coaching academy, Lothar Linz, his deputy Frank Wieneke, the chairman of the professional association of coaches, Holger Hasse, the long-time artistic gymnastics national coach and academy employee Ulla Koch and the sports journalist Frank Nägele. From now on, the “Hall of Fame” will be expanded to include additional members every year.
With the honor, the coaching academy wants to “set an example of the appreciation of a profession that works in the background and yet is crucial,” it said. Without the commitment of trainers, sporting careers, Olympic medals and emotional sporting moments are unthinkable.
The personalities honored on Tuesday evening represent more than 500,000 trainers in Germany “who advance sport day after day with their dedication and passion.” Inclusion in the “Hall of Fame” is also intended to honor personalities who have had a significant impact on the training and development of trainers.