As you approach Stadium in Klagenfurt, the massive steel structure immediately catches your eye. It is the beating heart of the United World Games, with food stands, lots of activities and, of course, numerous sports fields. Football, rugby and hockey are played here and inevitably catch your eye. To find indoor sports such as floorball or volleyball, you need to know your way around the grounds. Or better still, follow your ears. Because wherever it’s loud, you’ll find one of the United World Games sports halls. A somewhat hidden entrance leads inside, where you are quickly hit by the pent-up heat from many sweaty games over the long weekend. Depending on the sport, the hall accommodates three or four playing fields. In some years of the event, there were courts for basketball and volleyball, but in 2025, floorball players will compete alongside the many volleyball players.
While different sports dominate the fields, the stands are clearly dominated by one German club: Einheit Zepernick from northern Berlin. In 2025, they will be participating in Klagenfurt for the ninth time. “The tournament is so much more than just sport, it’s team building, the highlight of our season and, at the same time, the end of it. To be honest, it’s also a bit of a holiday for us parents,” says Micha, a father and vocal drummer. No wonder it feels like a holiday, as the German volleyball players and their entourage have taken up residence in Sekirn. “Breakfast is served every day right by the lake. A dip in Wörthersee with your first coffee – that’s exactly how a day should start,” enthuses Jan, a father and coach who has travelled with the team. His daughter injured herself before the tournament, but staying at home was not an option. “She’s limping around with her cast, but better with a cast here than without one at home,” says her father Jan. From their accommodation, the teams from Einheit Zepernick travel around Carinthia in minibuses. Wherever one of their teams plays, they make themselves heard. With drums, horns and a passion for fairness and sportsmanship, they are ambassadors for the United World Games who can be heard from afar. Loud, colorful and cheerful!
But don’t be fooled: the girls in the U15 to U19 age groups naturally want to win. In 2025, they came fifth, ninth and 13th in their respective age categories. In previous years, they even made it onto the podium on several occasions. “The level here is really good, it’s often very close and you can’t afford to make any mistakes if you want to win a medal,” says a coach from the Zepernick team.
Will they come back? “Are you kidding?” Jan asks in response, followed by roaring laughter. “We feel at home here, the girls are making unforgettable memories and forming lifelong bonds. Of course we’ll be back.” The Zepernick unit and the UWGs are a boisterous and inseparable combination. Would you like to get to know them? Then come to the hall, where it’s loudest and probably also the most fun.
Photo credit: Einheit Zepernick, Nagel