FC Basel 1893 as part of Special Youth Camp for children with disabilities

After a two-year break due to the pandemic, FC Basel 1893 joined the Special Youth Camp that took place again at the end of July 2022.

A total of 22 children and young people with disabilities travelled to the Rhine knee and were able not only to improve their football skills during a week, but also to make new friends and enjoy various leisure activities together. Since 2007, the Scort Foundation and the Football Club Social Alliance (FCSA) have organised the Special Youth Camp – a one-week football and leisure camp for children and young people with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. The camp aims to support children and young people with an impairment in their sporting and personal development.

This year’s participants travelled from Germany and Switzerland to the Rhine knee to experience a unique week in a new environment. The FCSA clubs FC Basel 1893, SV Werder Bremen, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and 1. FSV Mainz 05 were represented and during this trip, children and young people got their money’s worth with daily football training, a visit to St. Jakob Park and a Fun Football Festival on the last afternoon. Off the pitch, they were able to test their limits in the climbing forest, celebrated in comfort at a disco and barbecue evening with new-found friends and enjoyed a visit to Basel Zoo.

“I always look forward to the Special Youth Camp all year and I am thrilled again this year. The bond that these kids have impresses me. No matter how severe their respective impairments are, they just have a bond with each other. Whereas at the beginning they sat “team-wise”, soon they were all kicking together, you find everyone mixed up. But also for us adults it was a great pleasure to meet again after a break of two years!”
Brigitta Fumagalli, Instructor FC Basel 1893

“For me, just ‘being there’ and being able to actively participate is a huge highlight. And then to be able to prepare the training sessions with my young coach for the young people with disabilities, to see how they participate and enjoy it, these are all highlights that can never be taken away. They strengthen and motivate you for the future to keep at it and to enjoy this work.”
Gregorio, Tandem Partner FC Basel 1893

Fun Football Festival at the end on the junior campus
On the final day, the teams took over the management and organisation of the Fun Football Festival on the Nachwuchs-Campus Basel. Cheered on by various visitors and project sponsors, the participants ran through the stations of the festival. In addition, former Swiss national players Mario Cantaluppi and Stephan Lichtsteiner joined the group before the festival and answered the participants’ questions about their time as professional players and their new stage as coaches.

“I was quite nervous at the beginning because although I always lead practices in my team, this was a group I didn’t know that well. But it went quite well. I managed to adapt the exercises for the slightly stronger groups so that it was a bit more difficult for them again.”
Livia, Young coach of FC Basel 1893

“I really enjoyed the camp. The climbing park was especially cool. We worked up a bit of a sweat, but we still made it a long way, we could even get up to the cable cars – that was cool!”
Noemi, Participant of FC basel 1893

Finally, all participants showed their hidden talents in a talent show, followed by the presentation of certificates and medals – a harmonious evening at the end of a wonderful camp week.