On the second level of the City Rondell, people are already busy working. Hard-working helpers from Boxing VS and the ProKids Foundation have set up a boxing ring there. Is there a boxing match on the upcoming Sunday shopping? no way. The organizers want to demonstrate their integrative boxing project "Fight for your life" to the many shoppers there.

This is undoubtedly the social project that has made the most headlines in the city lately. It's about teaching young people from socially disadvantaged families, many of them with a migration background, through daily boxing training that diligence, discipline and a firm will are the key to success in life. "Fight for your life" is an initiative by Oliver Vlcek, the former national boxing coach and honorary chairman of Boxing VS and is now under the umbrella of the ProKids Foundation.

It is thanks to the foundation that "Fight for your life" continued after the city dropped the project financially in the summer like a hot potato. After a state subsidy expired, Vlcek needed new sponsors. In the municipal council, however, a majority signaled that they would refuse a subsidy for financing. Lord Mayor Dr. Kubon then removed the item from the agenda. "Fight for your life" had an existential funding gap and was on the verge of collapse, although the district was firmly behind the concept and project sponsor Thorsten Frei was also committed to a rethink. But even the influential member of the Bundestag, who is also the patron of the ProKids Foundation, was unable to succeed on a political level.

However, he saved "Fight for your life" with the help of the ProKids Foundation, which had supported Oliver Vlcek in founding it years ago. The chairman of the board of trustees, Joachim Spitz, and his comrades-in-arms could now also rely on them – they stepped in instead of the city and bridged the biggest funding gap so that the educational boxing training could continue.



Oliver Vlcek, who is now sports director of the Württemberg Boxing Association, is extremely happy about this. Together with Joachim Spitz, he also wants to convey his activities to opponents of boxing and make it clear to them that this discipline can develop a high socio-educational value. The Rotary Club of Villingen-Schwenningen recognized this a long time ago and awarded the project and its creator Oliver Vlcek the Paul Harris Prize for social commitment - as did Joachim Spitz the following year, who has had a wealth of success with his foundation over the past few decades initiated social projects and led to success.

"Our goal is," says Spitz, "to make our boxing project known on Sunday and to bring our educational approach closer to interested parties." He is firmly convinced that "Fight for your life" suits a regional center well. “Villingen-Schwenningen needs something like this and Oliver Vlcek is an outstanding professional with a tremendous commitment to the young people he takes under his wing. It is second to none.” City Rondell Manager Rudolf Haselbach shares this view and has therefore made the presentation area in the center available to the foundation. "It goes without saying," says Haselbach.

The opportunity to present yourself in the centrally located shopping center in the city center is also good for addressing children and young people directly. Joachim Spitz and Oliver Vlcek agree: "We want to pick up the problem kids where they can usually be found."