World University Beach Volleyball Championship
Nina Schels' turn to service
Nina, you are a member of the organization committee for the Student World Cup. What exactly are your responsibilities?
Nina Schels: I’m a student assistant at the ZHS, which is how I learned about the organizing committee. I’m co-responsible for the volunteers. The event is “for students by students”, meaning that about 70 to 80 volunteers will be helping to organize the World Cup – as stewards, service staff for the delegations and spectators, in catering, or as linesmen and referees. Together with a colleague, I searched for students who wanted to help – and we selected the best candidates from a total number of 150 applications.
When did the preparations in the volunteer program start?
In 2016 the FISU decided to hold the World Cup in Munich, and I have been involved in the volunteer program since June 2017. We actively looked for volunteers till November and then we started to interview our final candidates to make sure that the candidates are reliable. Most of the volunteers are from Munich and the rest are from other parts of Germany. We also have some from other countries; some even as far away as Australia. Now, we are in the final stages of preparation, and things are getting serious.
What can the spectators expect from the World University Beach Volleyball Championship?
It’s an international beach volleyball tournament with 32 men’s and 32 women’s teams from 29 countries. The beach volleyball facility in the Olympic Park has 13 fields, and it’s brand new. Admission to the tournament is free. There will be a beach bar and great entertainment. On July 13, the finale will be followed by an award ceremony and a closing event. We are hoping for good weather, a great atmosphere, and of course we are hoping that a lot of spectators will be there to cheer on the athletes.
What did you enjoy especially in the scope of your job?
I’m a student of Sports Management, and I might want to organize sports events later on in life. For me, working at the ZHS was perfect because I was able to gather a lot of experience that could be of help.
(Interview: Sabrina Czechofsky)
Nina Schels, 23, completed her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science at TUM and is now a student of Sports Management in Tübingen. Currently, she is working on her Master’s thesis on fitness trackers. Nina is a sports enthusiast herself and has already tried many different sports. She runs marathons and is a coach for apparatus gymnastics at the TSV Erding.
- The World University Beach Volleyball Championship is held every second year – since 2002. This year, the event will take place in Munich from July 9 to 13 at the new facilities in the Olympic Park.
More information:
www.wucbeachvolley2018.com