Duesseldorf, 14. June 2022 – It is with deep sadness that the Düsseldorf Panthers say goodbye to Judith “Yule” Schmitz, who has now left us after a long and serious illness with cancer.
Judith discovered her passion for American football in the early 1990s and quickly became active in our sport. First on the board of the Mönchengladbach Mavericks and for many years as one of the few female referees in American football, where she was particularly popular with young players in the U10 and U13 age groups. But she was also greatly respected by the gentlemen for her competent and always cordial manner. Judith later worked for the Düsseldorf Panthers until 2018 as a VIP supervisor and as a contact person for sponsors and their acquisition.
Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with brain cancer that turned her world upside down. But she fought and had many more plans until her death. She was a founding member of the German Football Network, an editorial network specializing in reporting on German football clubs. Only recently, together with the NRW All Stars e. V. has set up youth development programs that enable young people without sufficient financial resources to find their way into American football and thus promote them in sport.
The Düsseldorf Panthers wish Judith’s family and friends a lot of strength during this difficult time. Take care, Yule.
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