Stefan Spohn has been driving the soccer pros of SC Freiburg to away games all over Europe for over 25 years now. During this time, a lot has changed with both soccer and the coaches. Jörg Howe, Head of Communications and External Affairs at Daimler Truck, met the experienced team coach driver with his Setra S 517 HD at the Europa-Park Stadium in Freiburg.
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25 Years as Coach Driver for a Professional Soccer Team – Stefan Spohn in the “be a mover talk” with Jörg Howe.
Over 14 meters long, with 476 HP, and equipped to the hilt: Stefan Spohn lovingly calls his mobile workplace “his baby”. To meet Jörg Howe, Stefan Spohn drove his red-and-white Setra of SC Freiburg. He enjoys cult status within the club and is considered as a full member of the team. That’s why he can also be seen on many official team photos of the club. Cost-effective and comfortable for the long haul – the team coach of SC Freiburg. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology and numerous driver assistance systems on board, the vehicle is not only comfortable to drive, but is also economical. Less than 20 liters Diesel per 100 km are normal for Stefan Spohn, and this often surprises many of the club's rookies. “What has happened to the fuel consumption is truly amazing!”
He sees Freiburg as a pioneer for climate protection. Stefan Spohn would therefore be delighted if Freiburg also adopted hydrogen to power their team coach. As a result of its location in southern Germany, the Freiburg-based club travels a lot by coach, for example when heading towards the Ruhr region. The entire squad is often on board. The 34 comfortable seats provide enough room for all the players, as well as the functional team members and the equipment required on site. With sleep seats, leg rests, and mobile Internet, the coach is ideally suited for longer hauls. Only on very long distances, the team takes the plane and “Spohni”, as he is affectionately known, drives the coach with his colleagues to the away ground in advance.
Stefan Spohn drove the SC Freiburg team for the first time at the age of 21.
Stefan Spohn also enjoys exchanging ideas with other drivers in the Bundesliga to ensure that everything runs smoothly. He now knows most of the stadium entrances and hotels and has developed a routine: “A scheduled-service bus driver who drives eight hours a day has a much more strenuous workplace than I have,” he says. That wasn't always the case. Stefan Spohn remembers his first trip very well. At just 21 years old, he first got behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz O 404 coach with its purple seats and orange curtains - he ended up getting lost! Nevertheless, he was still given the job by the team manager at the time, Volker Finke.
Soccer still inspires Stefan Spohn after 25 years.
In addition to his work as a coach driver, Stefan Spohn also looks after the technical equipment of the Dreisamstadion and the soccer school in Freiburg. How is he managing all of this? “We are growing, the club is growing, I have excellent colleagues who support me, and good time management is absolutely key,” says Spohn. Eventually, Jörg Howe asked whether he still gets goosebumps whenever the SC Freiburg squad approaches the Europa-Park Stadium. Stefan Spohn's answer was clear: “Yes, I still get that "wow!" feeling.”
19.01.2023
