On Thursday, 22 January, State Parliament President André Kuper and State Secretary for Sport and Volunteering Andrea Milz presented the State Prize and, for the first time, the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) State Young Talent Award for Sports Science in the State Parliament Forum. The award winners include Prof. Dr. Miriam Kehne and Prof. (em.) Dr. Wolf-Dietrich Brettschneider from the "Sport & Health" department at Paderborn University. The state prize is endowed with 10,000 euros each, the state prize for young talent with 5,000 euros each. This makes the state prize the most highly endowed sports science prize in Germany.
Prof Dr Wolf-Dietrich Brettschneider receives lifetime achievement award
Prof. Brettschneider was honoured with the state prize in the "Lifetime achievement" category. The long-standing Paderborn sports scientist has significantly shaped sport-related childhood and youth research with his empirical focus since the 1980s. His trademarks: Innovation and methodological diversity. The nationwide "Sprint Study", a study on the situation of school sport in Germany, is one of his key research projects, as is the highly regarded NRW study on "Youth work in sports clubs". The results of the study have contributed to constructive improvements in the youth work of sports clubs, for example. Prof. Brettschneider has also played an active role in establishing networks between universities, schools and sports clubs in NRW and has thus had a lasting impact on sports development in the state as a mediator between sports science and sports policy.
Prof. Dr. Miriam Kehne was honoured with the state prize
Prof. Kehne received the state prize in the category "Social, Educational and Cultural Sciences". Her research focuses on the promotion of physical activity, play and sport in children and young people. She combines pedagogical approaches with psychological and sociological perspectives. The aim of her research is to enable children to lead active lifestyles at an early age, in which the potential of exercise, play and sport for a healthy upbringing can unfold. The Paderborn scientist focuses her research on a long-term and sustainable transfer to social fields of action. At Paderborn University, Prof. Kehne heads the "Childhood and Youth Research in Sport" department and opened the "besslab" movement, play and sport laboratory with her team in 2021. In close dialogue with the actors involved from practice and politics, scientific findings are systematically transferred to the world of movement of adolescents. In this way, a joint dialogue can be realised to initiate concrete improvements.
Research with an impact: scientific knowledge for more sport, community and the future
"Sport connects people – from popular sport to competitive sport, from clubs to society. With the 'State Prize for Sports Science', we are honouring personalities who are advancing sports science with their spirit of research and commitment, thereby strengthening sporting life and the clubs in our state. At the same time, we are showing that North Rhine-Westphalia supports young research that provides important impetus for the future of our sport and thus also our society," said State Parliament President Kuper. State Secretary for Sport and Volunteering Milz added: "Sports science has traditionally played a major role in North Rhine-Westphalia. Strong sports science and the transfer of scientific findings into sports practice are indispensable pillars for targeted sports development."
This text was translated automatically.
