Get to Know: Glenn Kremp, Schalke Canada FC Founder

How did you become a Schalke fan? What was the first game you ever watched?

It all traces back to my grandparents, who immigrated to Canada from Germany! My grandfather is from Gelsenkirchen, and he took me for the first time to Germany to see my extended family in August of 1987. I was a young kid, and Schalke were playing FC Kaiserslautern. We were at my aunt’s house, who lived very close to the Parkstadion. From her window you could see one of the light fixtures overlooking the ground.

What my aunt would do for matches is sit in the backyard with the TV. Back in the 80’s there was a slight tape delay, so when the first goal went in for Schalke I heard an incredible roar. It was something I had never heard before, and still haven’t had much to compare to! My German was rusty – and still is – so I turned to my Opa and asked what the noise was. He pointed to the Parkstadion and said it’s from the stadium! Schalke won 5-0 that day, so that roar came again and again into the backyard. It was a one-of-a-kind experience, hearing the crowd celebrate and seeing the goal only minutes later.

From there, I was hooked. My uncle would tape a bunch of games on VHS and send them to my grandmother here. Her and I would go to find someone to convert the European VHS to the North American VHS, and we’d be able to watch three, four games in a single weekend. European results didn’t get transmitted to Canada quickly, so we lived and breathed every match.

Over the years, obviously, streaming – and with it, the Bundesliga – has grown immensely here in Canada. All matches are available on one of our sports streaming services, so my love for the club and the Bundesliga have grown with that access ever since. But it was all back to the roars of the Parkstadion. That is how I fell in love with Schalke.

What’s it like supporting Schalke in Toronto? How did you start your own fan group?

My Opa passed away about five years ago, and quite honestly starting the fan club was my way of honoring him and our love for Schalke. The matchday excitement, the bond you have with fellow supporters when you watch your team – there’s nothing like it, and there was no one it was stronger with for me than with my Opa. I wanted to spread that to other people, so I started the fan club. Crazy enough, by our subway station one day there happened to be a car parked with Schalke stickers all over the back. I was shocked! From then, I knew I had to keep going with the club. Those two things got me going. My love for the Bundesliga and Schalke has been strong for decades, and I wanted to share it with other people in my community.

What’s the current structure of the group – do you have fans across the country? How do you organize and stay in touch?

The moment that organizing the fandom in Canada went so far beyond me was the Florida Cup “winter pause” tournament in 2016. It almost felt like there was more Canadian fans traveling for Schalke than Americans, oddly enough! I met these really passionate twins who were season ticket holders from Alberta. The said “you need to talk to our father, he’s an incredible supporter of Schalke!”. That’s how I met Misha, their father. Getting Misha involved had the ball rolling further and faster than I ever imagined with the group. He’s our treasurer and we’ve worked hand in hand in getting more people across the country involved. We always connect on Facebook Messenger.

My goal has been to get a “hub” going in Toronto and growing from there. We had our first real viewing party against Bayern last year, and it was special to find a pub that could host us. We have a lot of little groups popping up – Nordkurve Toronto, Saskatchewan, B.C., and so on. It’s been incredible to see this little idea I had a few years ago uncover so many fellow Schalke fans in Canada.

What makes your home, the Black Bear pub, special?

It’s a great place. Our first meeting there was special, to finally come together and watch a match at a bar that was able to serve us early in the morning. Even if everyone was shy, it was just a great spark for our group. The owners there were very welcoming, they asked after the first match how many times we would be back to support. That got thrown to the side because of COVID-19, but it’s great to support a local pub and have them support you as well. We got to know each other really well at our first event, and we’re looking forward to more when things get safer in Toronto.

What do you love about the club, what makes it special?

The hardworking, grassroots ethos of the club. We’ve grown our club through the academy, and it’s special to watch. There’s almost a proud father moment that you get as a fan when you not only see a young talent grow in the first team but move on and become a champion elsewhere. It’s funny, because I watch the Bundesliga world feed a lot for other matches, not just ours. I’m hard-pressed to remember the last game I watched where Schalke 04 wasn’t mentioned for an academy product that has gone on to do great things.

Not only the youth, but you know the club are going to work hard for victory. That ethos and drive makes those victories so much more rewarding as a fan. You know the work, the effort, that went into the performance and it fills you with pride and excitement.

What is your favorite Schalke 04 game that you have watched?

I know it’s the obvious choice but beating Madrid at the Bernabeu is always the one. Going there, being the underdog, but pulling a victory out was amazing. It was an incredibly exciting feat, but everything that happened after that game traces back to it. I think we just garnered a recognition from the everyday soccer support that we didn’t have before. Wearing a scarf or hat around Toronto, Schalke 04 was recognized and talked about so much more after the Madrid match.

Seeing Sané explode that game and having the team work hard made it even more special. It doesn’t get better than that game for me. I still have the highlights on my DVR to this day – I watch them before my rec league matches to amp myself up!

Who is your favorite player that has played for Schalke?

It changes every couple of seasons, but my first favorite was Kevin Kuranyi. He was a superb player to watch, especially with all of his goals.

I always have an eye on the young players in the squad, and one of my favorites right now is Malick Thiaw. His work rate and potential are very high, and I love seeing him starting to find his footing in our first team.

Why do you recommend people support Schalke?

First, we create champions. I always love discussing what the likes of Fuchs, Matip, Choupo-Moting, and others have done in their careers. Schalke 04 is the origin for so many of football’s greatest stories and talents in recent decades.

Additionally, the hard-working, underdog mentality is something I enjoy. Again, when the victory comes – you enjoy it beyond comparison. It’s well-earned. Watching players grow and develop with your club is special, and you don’t have it happen anywhere more often than Schalke and the Knappenschmiede.

Finally, the supporters. I know that it isn’t visible with COVID-19, but the Nordkurve and the excitement they bring is second to none for me. No matter the score, minute, or match, the noise and passion they bring comes right through the TV and into your heart. They are the 12^th man, and they bring something to the club that you don’t find anywhere else.