by Linnéa Strömberg and Stanislav Hodina
There is almost a full house waiting for tonight’s game. In a week without restrictions, the coronavirus has become a mere memory, letting the spectators enjoy the match in every way. Tonight, they are excitedly watching how their favourite players defeat the team from the top of the table.
Five years ago, the situation was very different. It looked like Denmark’s second-largest city would be without a women’s top league presence. The club was in a financial crisis and had to close at the end of the season. Luckily for the local fans, a few volunteers got together and started a new project. And so, Aarhus United was born.
“It’s been very tough. It’s been like a startup. We miss the money, players and volunteers,” says Jan Snogdal, one of the founders. He believes that the city has potential that shouldn’t be wasted: “Aarhus is very characterised by young people. A lot of them come here to study. They are an important asset. In the beginning, they are just young talents, but over time they become established players with ambitions, whose highest goal is to make it to the national team,” he adds.
Unlike its competitors, the club does not have a high budget, so the local youngsters are the team’s engine, which surprisingly keeps up with the top for many people. The club’s focus is to help the local community and be a goal for young girls. Mr Snogdal explains why:
“We have a strong connection with the local handball clubs. Aarhus United try to be an elite platform and our players are role models for young girls.” You can see how the connection with local clubs is essential in the club’s main photo. There are players from both – United and local teams. It is hanging just above the handball court, so everybody can see it.
Another significant factor is that Aarhus is a university town with a good reputation attracting students from all over Scandinavia. One of the young international faces of the team is Thea Stankiewicz, number 4:
“It was really a team victory. We were on the same page. We are a few in numbers, but we are one unit. We need to play not just with each other, but for each other. It didn’t work so well in some other games, but now we are more and more successful,” she said after today’s performance.
Later this year the team will celebrate their fifth anniversary and they hope to end this season among the top 8.
Check out our second story about drummers:
The shirtless supporters
