The ASS sees itself as a network with close personal relationships. It is about people who are committed to others. In future, this alumni idea will also be reflected in the most important award. Starting in 2022, an annual award will be given to a person who has been committed in a special way to the ASS community – specifically to the alumni association and/or to Spoho in general.
Prerequisite: The prerequisite for nomination as “Alumni of the Year” is a completed degree at the German Sport University Cologne in the field of economics and management, sports management, sports journalism, media or sports development. Membership of the ASS Alumni Association is not required. Nominees from previous years may be nominated again. Current members of the ASS Board are not eligible for nomination.
Nomination: Each ASS member may make one nomination per year. Nominations are made via a form.
Election: A jury – consisting of the award winners of the previous five years – selects the “Alumni of the Year” from among the nominees. The decision criterion is the special personal commitment to the ASS community or to the Spoho. The award ceremony takes place at the alumni association’s annual homecoming.
The award until 2022
Anyone with at least two years of professional experience and an outstanding performance in this job can become a winner of the “ASS Alumni” award. A further prerequisite is that the graduate has completed a degree course in economics, media, sports management, sports communication or sports journalism at the German Sport University Cologne.
The candidates are nominated by our members and the board. The final choice of the prizewinner is made by our members by means of an online vote.
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2021” in the category “Social responsibility in, with and through sport”
Vincent Bock, Gregor Preis, Maria Schmidt & Luisa Sohrt (Grenzenlos in Bewegung e.V.).
Other nominiees: Susanne Gaerte (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), Christine Kowalski (Plan International Deutschland e.V.) und Thomas Stephany (Aktion Mensch)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2020” in the category “Organized Sport”
Jens Behler Head of Department Digital Communication, German Olympic Sports Confederation)
Other nominees: Raymond Baafi (Managing Director, TV Dellbrück),
Dr. Christoph Fischer (General Secretary, allgemeiner deutscher hochschulsportverband), Frank Spickmann (Managing Director, Kreissportbund Grafschaft Bentheim)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2019” in the category “Self-employment”
Kai Lucius (ad.letics)
Other nominees: Michael Bode (VisionGesund), Marco Krückemeier (go3)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2018”
Markéta Marzoli (Head of Communication & Events, Press Officer German Team Paralympics, German Disabled Sports Association)
Other nominees: Alexander Reimann (Associate Director / Team Leader 1st FC Cologne, Infront), Dennis Trautwein (Vice President, Octagon)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2017”
Dennis Schröder (Global Strategic Account Director, Nike)
Other nominees: Carina Clößner (Senior Manager Sport and Digital, Sky Media GmbH), Stefan Hossenfelder (Senior Project Manager B2B, DFL Digital Sports GmbH)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2016”
Philipp Walter (SC Freiburg)
Other nominees: Robert Hunke (football Bundesliga commentator for ARD Sportschau), Florian Roth (B2Run GmbH), Eva Werthmann (IPC)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2015”
Prof. Dr. Tim Pawlowski (University of Tübingen)
Other nominees: Sebastian Dietze (Europcar), Simon Fink (DoIt!), Tim Oidtmann (Fraport AG)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2014”
Christian Klaue (DOSB)
Other nominees: Jennifer Barthel (SCC Events GmbH), Daniel Müller (2nd Basketball Bundesliga), Tim Steffens (UFA Sports)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2013”
Jan Kremer (Deloitte)
Other nominees: Solveig Konrad (née Wörzberger) (German Disabled Sports Association/National Paralympic Committee Germany), Marcus Pieker (Jack Wolfskin GmbH & Co. KGaA), Inga Weireter (Google Germany GmbH)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2012”
Robert Wiegand (Toys “R” Us GmbH)
Other nominees: Patric Lunau-Miercke (20-11 SPORTMANAGEMENT), Oskar Deecke & Oliver Korn (Hockey National Player; Olympic Champion 2012 in London), Jeannine Oppermann (née Weisel) (akzio! GmbH; Senior Consultant)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2011”
Lars Birnbaum (Bauerfeind AG)
Other nominees: Matthias Lang (SportMeetsCharity,) Jörg Heydel (Sportclub Bayer 05 Uerdingen e. V.), Dirk Anton, Lars Bischof, Alex Kraemer (HEIMSPIELE)
Prize winner “ASS Alumni 2010”
Jeannine Hagedorn and Oliver Jetter (agency rheinsport)
Other nominees: Christian Koke (sportAgentur Düsseldorf GmbH), Christiane Krauter (Deutsche Sportmarketing GmbH), Thorsten Terlohr (Warsteiner).
Prize winners “ASS Alumni 2009”
Steffen Ehmer, Torben Steffen, Timm Ulrich & Timo Wilke (4attention Agency)
Other nominees: Brendan Birch (DFB), Ilka Boge (Alemannia Aachen), Arnd Hovemann (Ernst & Young)
