Heyer takes the ball - New university sports director at the University of Kassel

Sport permeates a lifetime: After graduating from high school in 1998 in Weissach, Baden-Württemberg, he first worked as a coach and trainer for the German Paralympic team. The highlight was the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City. There he celebrated the great success of the German team, which topped the medal table at the Paralympics.

After that, the next step was clear for Heyer: studying sports science and medical physiology and economics at the Georg-August University in Göttingen, which eventually brought him to the vicinity of northern Hesse. In addition to his studies, he was already active in university sports and worked at a golf facility. The rest just sort of fell into place, says Heyer.

His experience in sports and organization brought him to the university sports team at the University of Kassel in 2009. At that time, he came to the university to help organize the "UNIfit" fitness studio. In 2013, the UNIfit was opened. A lot has happened since then: In 2015, Heyer completed his doctorate on the topic of e-learning in sports studies while working for UNIfit. In 2016, aquatic sports were added with the boathouse, and in 2018, health promotion was added - and with it, more new tasks for Heyer.

The 40-year-old likes what he does. "The work is very varied, as we have a great summer and winter offering," Heyer says. Especially the work with always new projects, to initiate and implement them so that other people are better off, motivates him, he says. That also means not resting on what's already there, but always looking for new sports and offerings. "Super topical at the moment is Roundnet. More than 50 people play with us at the University of Kassel and also travel to tournaments throughout Germany."

Heyer himself, whose focus is on backstroke games and alpine snow sports, is privately active as chairman in the tennis club of his new home Hann. Münden and also still enjoys skiing. "However, the Alps are now further away than in Baden-Württemberg," says Heyer, so it's more likely to be for short trips to Willingen in the Sauerland region around the corner. For students, however, he offers winter courses, which he then takes to the Alps for snow sports.

Heyer sees university sports as more than just company sports. "We also have an educational mission with university sports," he says. That's why the topic of health promotion for both employees and students is also close to his heart. "My wish for the future is to further expand the organization and coordination of health promotion," he explains.

With the new hall, which is currently being built next to the sports science building at the Auestadion, Heyer also wants to focus on inclusion. People who are affected are to be better integrated. The university's sports department, which is the hall's tenant from the city of Kassel, has 80 hours of time per week available for the entire sports program. "The new hall is of course a great opportunity," Heyer is pleased. Offers had to be moved out before, the old hall was full. "Now we have space for new ideas."