Trouble at Alaba's school

“This is all completely incomprehensible to me”

Former principal Alf Mathuber, pictured here behind former Polgar pupil David Alaba, doesn't understand why the soccer classes at Polgargymnasium are being phased out.(Bild: Zur Verfügung gestellt)

Stars like David Alaba and Aleksandar Dragovic attended the grammar school in Polgarstraße in Vienna's 22nd district and celebrated great success in school soccer. But soon the boys' soccer classes at the school will be coming to an end. Former principal Alf Mathuber is stunned by this. 

This year, girls AND boys from Polgarstraße won the "Krone" indoor cup after strong performances. But perhaps it was the school's last big success for the boys. Unlike the girls' soccer classes at Polgarstraße, their soccer classes are being phased out.

This year, the Polgarstraße boys' soccer team won the Krone Indoor Cup in Vienna's Stadthalle B.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

"It's beyond my pedagogical understanding"
This leaves long-time Polgar principal Alf Mathuber shaking his head: "I ran the Polgargymnasium for almost 25 years. During this time, I initiated, supported and accompanied the very successful soccer project together with FK Austria Wien and an extremely committed team of teachers. The discontinuation of the soccer classes is completely incomprehensible to me." Mathuber also emphasizes: "It is beyond my pedagogical understanding that the last word has already been spoken in times of an ever-increasing demand for more exercise and sport on the part of responsible authorities."

Aleks Dragovic (left) also celebrated great success in the school league with Polgarstraße.(Bild: JOACHIM MAISLINGER)

Exemplary in terms of performance and discipline
The former principal explains: "The pupils in these classes were exemplary in terms of performance and discipline compared to the up to eight parallel classes in each school level. I put together special teams of teachers with a sports background for these classes. That was a success story." Which now has an expiration date.

The current principal Claudia Peltz was not available for a telephone interview due to time constraints, but sent the following statement: "The aim of school development is to improve the quality and quality assurance of our school through pedagogical and organizational changes. As part of such change processes, different groups and people work together to shape and develop our school in the best possible way."

The Polgarstraße girls' soccer team recently celebrated their euphoric victory in the Krone Indoor Cup. The girls' soccer classes will also remain at Polgarstraße. Only the boys' soccer classes are being phased out.(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

The aspect of whether sporting success is not also a special quality could have been discussed in a personal conversation. What a pity. Because as one father recently said after winning the Krone Indoor Cup: "After the final, my child radiated pride, enjoyment of the team and sport and increased self-confidence - everything that sport brings to school and work."