Even though Lise’s own children stopped playing soccer long ago, she still spends part of her summer vacation at the Kronborg Cup. For Lise, it’s about giving children and young people an experience they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Lise Clemmensen, a volunteer from Snekkersten IF, is in charge of the school accommodations at Borupgårdskolen in Snekkersten. This year, she’s worked about 30 hours over the tournament weekend. This is far from her first time. For the past eight years, she has been a regular member of the team of volunteers who make the Kronborg Cup run smoothly.
She used to be the coach of one of her children's teams. As the children got older, she could have chosen to stop. But she didn't.
"I didn't want to be a soccer mom anymore, but I still wanted to be part of the Kronborg Cup community," she says .
As the person in charge of accommodations at the school, where 550 players, coaches, and team leaders are staying, her responsibilities are many and varied. She coordinates with the clubs’ coaches and managers, assigns tasks to the volunteers, arranges meals, works the night shift, locks the doors, and answers questions from participants and guests.
"It's a bit like being an octopus. Sometimes it feels like I'm both the receptionist and the event coordinator all at once," she says with a smile.
All children have the right to wonderful summer memories
For her, the motivation is, first and foremost, the children. Even though her own children no longer play on the field, her motivation remains the same: to give other children the wonderful summer vacation experience that she has seen make a difference.
"All children have the right to a great summer vacation. And, of course, not all children get to have one. When they’re allowed to come to the Kronborg Cup, it’s an experience they can take with them and talk about when they go back to school."
She has seen firsthand the impact that tournaments and shared experiences can have on children and young people.
"I've seen firsthand with my own children the amazing sense of community that comes from being on a trip. They get to be away from their parents and stand on their own two feet. It really helps them mature. It’s also a chance to put your phone aside for a bit, get outside, and breathe some fresh air. I’d like to pass that on to lots of kids, now that I’ve seen how happy my own kids have been to go to tournaments.”
She also points out that the Kronborg Cup isn't just a benefit for the participants.
Support for the City of
As a volunteer, you help both the participants and the clubs, but Lise also believes that volunteers support local development.
"Hosting the Kronborg Cup is incredibly beneficial for the City of Helsingør. It supports the local business community, the hotel industry, and restaurants. I can only encourage others to volunteer. It brings vitality and revenue to the city."
The Kronborg Cup relies on the approximately 800 volunteers who, every year, devote hours and days to everything from planning and coordination to practical tasks during the tournament. Volunteers like Lise help ensure that thousands of children and young people have a summer experience filled with camaraderie, friendships, and soccer.
