Sports.
No question, Germany is crazy about sports. Sporting heroes are admired, celebrated and acclaimed. Many top-ranking athletes in a wide cross-section of disciplines become idols and role models. But Germans not only consume sport in the stadiums and on television, they are also active in sports themselves and sports clubs are part of German culture.
So it is not only the admiration of top-class sports but also the practising of mass sports which influences Germans’ lives. Alone in NRW more than five million people practise sports in about 20,000 sports clubs. In every district of the cities, in every small town and even in little villages, diverse sports facilities definitely exist, albeit it maybe only a football pitch. And in NRW there are altogether about 38.000 sports facilities of every description: sports fields, gymnasiums, open air and indoor swimming pools, tennis courts or centres for dancing, shooting or golf and many more.
Sports clubs and societies are very characteristic of Germany and it is absolutely the norm to join a club if one likes to practise. Of course there is always the possibility of jogging alone in the forest or swimming in a public swimming pool but there are also clubs for these kind of sports, in which diverse groups and courses are offered, so that one can practise together with others.
Mostly, there is some sort of contractual obligation to joining a club to use its sports facilities. This is particularly the case concerning tennis or golf facilities, which can only seldom be used for free without being a member, so it is advisable to be informed about the appropriate terms of use.
Golf.
Golf was known as early as the fifteenth century and already then it was a sport for the aristocracy. Because of the high fees for golf courses and the necessary equipment, this form of sport is still believed to be one for the upper class...
Lacrosse.
The Düsseldorf Antlers is the only Lacrosse-Team in Düsseldorf.
Founded in 1994 with a long and changing history, their home is now the Düsseldorfer Sport-Club 1899 e.V. (DSC 99) in Düsseldorf-Gerresheim...
Rugby.
The Düsseldorf Dragons Rugby Club is part of the Turn- und Sportvereinigung Düsseldorf 1895 e.V. In the 1960’s, the Düsseldorf Dragons were a rugby team comprising of civilians and military personnel here in Düsseldorf...
Soccer.
Soccer is the most popular sport in Germany. But even playing soccer was a privilege at the end of the 19th century. The first soccer club was BFC Germania, founded in Berlin in 1888. Two years later the German Soccer Federation...
Volleyball.
Are you an avid volley ball player who would like to go on practicing the sport in their new home town? No problem! The ART Düsseldorf (a sports club) trains volleyball teams of every age, men, women and children...
Cricket.
Cricket is not very widespread in Germany. One reason might be that teatime is not so common as in the UK, but this is just speculation. However, several clubs do offer the possibility to play this cheerful game and the Dusseldorf Blackcaps...
Swimming.
Swimming, which has probably existed since the day a man entered the water for the first time, is said to be a healthy sport with the least risk of injury. The first real competition took place in London in 1837. The four main swimming styles are...
Tennis.
In Germany there are about 10.000 tennis clubs with about 50.000 courts and 2 million members. In addition there are 2,4 million people who play tennis without being member of a club. Tennis is the second most popular sport after soccer...
Badminton.
It looks like a more gentle version of tennis, but playing a match of badminton can be as exhausting as tennis. Badminton was played in ancient Greece and Egypt, but turned out to be a mass sports when it was imported from India...
Skiing.
If you ever thought skiing was a sport restricted to mountainous and snowy regions … think twice. This city is not situated in the Alps or other European mountain ranges, but skiing here can be at least as much as fun as there. One of the most modern...
Riding.
A German proverb states that the happiness is to be found on the back of a horse and indeed horse riding is one of the most popular sports in Germany. It is surely not one of the most inexpensive sports, but caring for such graceful...
Sports Clubs.
One of the easiest ways to meet people and to make new friends is to join a sports club. Strengthening ones health and improving ones physical abilities are agreeable side effects. Most sports clubs in Dusseldorf offer very good...
Fitness.
Holmes Place offers an ideal opportunity to work on fitness, high level training or, if you desire, simply relax in the spa or cafe. The oxygen-fortified swimming pool gives members the choice of either lane swimming for fitness or simply...
