07/29/2026

Volunteer Work That Shapes: From 8 to More Than 120 Young Club Members

In July, NürnbergMesse shines a spotlight on its Corporate Volunteering Month. During this time, employees support a variety of charitable projects and work together to help others. Many of them are also involved in volunteer work outside their professional roles, contributing their time and commitment in numerous ways. NürnbergMesse supports this dedication and recognizes it, among other things, with an additional day of special leave each year. In this interview series, we introduce colleagues who volunteer and talk with them about what motivates and inspires them.

Written by Johanna Köhler

Coaches and children run with soccer balls on the field during soccer practice.

Michael Melcher is Vice President Innovation & Touchpoints and a member of the NürnbergMesse Management Board. In his private life, he volunteers as Head of Youth Development at1. FC Willy Wacker Hechtsheim. Together with many dedicated volunteers, he has rebuilt the club’s youth department since 2022. What began with just eight children after the COVID-19 pandemic has grown into a community of more than 120 young football players.

In this interview, he explains how he became involved, what motivates him about building the youth department, and what personal lessons he has taken from the experience.

How did you come to help rebuild the youth department at your club?

As the COVID-19 pandemic was coming to an end in 2022, I was looking for a football club for my four-year-old son. At my current club, the club president said something that has stayed with me ever since: "We have pitches, we have equipment, we have funding – but we no longer have a youth department. Why don’t you rebuild it?"

I couldn't stop thinking about the idea. After several conversations, we eventually made a deal and began rebuilding the youth program together. What started with only a handful of children and an idea gradually developed into a vibrant youth department.

Going from 8 to more than 120 children – what does that development mean to you personally?

I grew up with football in a rural community. I played competitively until my early twenties and have been closely connected to the sport since childhood. Looking back, the experiences I gained through team sports shaped me far beyond football itself. Developing team spirit, learning how to win and lose, recognizing different strengths, finding compromises, and making decisions under pressure are all skills that still accompany me today.

Even back then, I promised myself that one day I would give something back of what my coaches had given me. That’s why it means so much to me today to provide children and young people with opportunities to discover their strengths and develop further. Seeing the club grow from eight children to more than 120 fills me with tremendous pride. Sometimes it actually feels a little like building a start-up – just with football boots instead of business plans.

Group of children listening to coaches on football pitch during training. — What started with eight children has grown into a community of more than 120 young club members.

What is particularly important to you in your role as Head of Youth Development?

Together with around 20 coaches, we have developed a playing and club philosophy that follows the guidelines of the German Football Association (DFB) while also promoting clear values. It is important to us that every child has the opportunity to play football, regardless of individual performance level. Enjoyment of the sport comes first. At the same time, we encourage commitment and development without excluding children.

We also place great emphasis on respect, tolerance, and fairness – toward teammates, opponents, parents, and volunteers alike. Discrimination and violence have no place in our club. Ultimately, our goal is not just to develop better football players. We want to help young people develop values that will accompany them far beyond sport.

Finally, how has this commitment influenced you personally?

Above all, volunteering has taught me the importance of maintaining balance. The work is incredibly rewarding, but just as in professional life, it is easy to reach a point where you take on too many responsibilities at once.

In recent years, the club has grown significantly. With that growth come more conversations, more questions, and more challenges. That is why it is important to keep focusing on what truly matters. At the same time, seeing the children develop fills me with tremendous pride. When I see children who started playing football four years ago now preparing to move on to secondary school, it becomes clear how much influence club life and volunteer work can have.

Knowing that they are gaining not only sporting skills but also personal development – and that they are being positively influenced by their coaches – is one of the most rewarding aspects of this commitment. That is exactly what motivates me to continue.

Children in blue kits standing with coaches near football goal on sports field. — The club focuses not only on athletic development, but also on team spirit, respect, and fairness.

Author

Johanna Köhler

Online Editing // PR Trainee