Discgolf
In the sport of disc golf, a flying disc must be thrown deftly and accurately until it lands inside a basket, with players traversing hills and obstacles to complete a series of “holes” in as few throws as possible. The sport is exceptionally accessible, regardless of age, gender, fitness level, wealth and social status. Anyone who can toss a frisbee and take a walk can begin playing and enjoying the sport immediately. This can be a preschooler or an 80-year-old great-grandparent, and both can play in the same group. A “round” of disc golf is a group hike through the local landscape, with dozens of throws performed along the way. Courses are typically located in public, mixed-use areas, with no course fees, open hours or social hurdles.
The Discgolf Club Göttingen and our friends at blinc e.G. believe that the disc golf has fantastic potential as a tool for community building, inclusion and integration. We are in the process of cooperatively designing projects related to these areas, including the project outlined in the fact sheet.
Disc Golf in Göttingen
Challenge What is the societal / educational challenge (the “needs”) that you want to tackle? | The “western city” in Göttingen is a district with a high percentage of residents with a migration background. Local actors have expressed a strong need for community-building activities that encourage social cohesion and the integration. |
Target group / clients Depending on the target group, other beneficiaries can also be mentioned or referred to directly | Youth in the western city, both with and without a migration background |
Solution The solution should only be named superficially to give an idea of the concept developed | Design, promote and provide free access to activities for a new trend sport (disc golf) in the western city. |
Innovation The innovative perspective could be framed by a word (app) or a short concept description. | Integration through sport, but rather than target groups of migrants, focus on establishing accessible activities for mixed groups of migrants and non-migrants in districts with fewer opportunities. |
Unique Selling Point | novel use of a trend sport with uniquely accessible qualities |
Impact | Bringing together diverse residents of the western city for a common activity. |
Feasibility/Transferability | Disc golf clubs typically have a strong interest in expanding the sport to new audiences. A successful example of a project encouraging integration by introducing disc golf to a diverse district like the western city of Göttingen could serve as inspiration for similar projects in cooperation with clubs throughout Europe. |
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Working with young people with special education needs I often find it can be difficult to fit physical education into the timetable. Some sports take a long time to play and young people lose interest or they involve a skill level that makes it difficult to access. However the one sport that we have found all of our young people are able to engage with is Disc Golf. The mix of gross motor movement rather than fine motor movement makes it easier for our young people to pick up, and that coupled with the natural player progression that can be seen after just a few throws keeps people coming back for more. It is a great opportunity for socialising as well as exploring the local environment. Then when you add the variety of discs available and the courses in the local area, Disc Golf is the biggest, most engaging sport that we have found!
JB, Special Educational Needs (SEN) School Instructor in the UK
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