Zweite Liebe - ehrenamtlich (1977)

At the center of the film is Peter Papenbold, an auto mechanic and volunteer gymnastics coach for children and teenagers. His wife and two sons are active in sports as well. His coworkers at the garage do not always understand when they have to cover for him because of training sessions or competitions. When, however, the DTSB offers him a full-time coaching position in competitive sports, he is unsure whether he can leave his club, or whether doing so would leave too big a gap. Papenbold is friendly, takes an interest in each of his athletes, and is very popular with them all. He insists that the same rules apply to everyone: when Horst Bellmann, a very good gymnast known as Hotte, refuses to help clean up and challenges Papenbold’s authority, Papenbold bars him from taking part in the next Spartakiad—even though the district gymnastics section leader, who is essentially Papenbold’s superior, insists that Hotte should participate because of his strong performances. Papenbold takes Hotte along as a helper at children’s training sessions and discovers that he has a talent for coaching. Hotte also goes along to the regional Spartakiad, where he learns to stand up for others too. After the Spartakiad, the children thank Papenbold with a large, handmade gold medal. In the end, it remains unclear whether he will accept the full-time position and thereby leave “his” children and teenagers.