Klaus Staerk is honoured in Namibia: “It is very rewarding if the work one performs is recognised and is appreciated.”

Windhoek / Berlin, 12/9/2013 – The programme “GERMAN FOOTBALL AMBASSADOR” has nominated Klaus Stärk (technical director of the Namibia Football Federation) for the first prize in 2014. Stärk has, since 2008, been working for the German Olympic Sports Alliance (DOSB) and the German Foreign Affairs Office in Namibia. He is primarily involved in supporting youth and women’s football but is also a football coach and is involved in referee training.

While in Namibia a youth league was introduced under his direction and structures for the football association were built and strengthened. There is enormous enthusiasm for football among the populations of many South African countries and in 2014 the Africa women championship will take place in Namibia.

Klaus Stärk said about the nomination:

“I was very surprised when I first knew about it and I felt very honoured. It is very rewarding if the work one performs is recognised and is appreciated. All my colleagues who work abroad and perform similar work also deserve the nomination. I am supported by very competent partners such as the German Olympic Sports Alliance, the Foreign Affairs Office and the German Football Alliance of which I am very grateful”.

The “German Football Ambassador” honours German trainers and players for their sport and social commitments abroad and supports at the same time different projects in their respective countries. With “NFA Galz and Goals” Klaus Stärk supports women‘s football in Namibia. He says “With our project we have won numerous international prizes and are the leaders in the development of women’s football in Africa“

Subsequent to training in Germany Stärk coached teams in Lebanon, South Africa and Kazakhstan. He was also the national team trainer of Afghanistan from 2005 to 2008 where he did important and enduring work in youth and women’s football. He also led several trainer and referee courses worldwide which were supported by the German Football Association, the DOSB and the Foreign Affair Office.

Those nominated for the first prize in 2014 were announced in November at the convention in Qatar and during the following weeks were visited in their respective countries. They were handed the nomination documents together with the prize money and they (the nominees) introduced their supporting projects. The nominees are Monika Staab (women-national trainer Qatar) and Winfried Schäfer (national trainer Jamaica).

During the award ceremony to be held on the 05th of May, 2014 the winner will be announced at the Foreign Affair Office in Berlin.