KSZN Rypne


KSZN Rypne was an interwar Polish sports club based in the village of Rypne, in the Stanisławów Voivodeship. The club was disbanded during the Second World War.

History

Foundation

In the 1930s, new oil and gas fields were discovered in Nadwórna County, Stanisławów Voivodeship. Oil wells in the region belonged to the state owned company Polmin. The director of the company, Eng. Kazimierz Sołtyński, was an active enthusiast of football and a pioneer of the sport in Galicia. As the head of the Polmin company, he set out to establish his own football club; at his initiative, a stunningly situated stadium amidst Carpathian pastures was erected in Rypne. Inaugurated on 14 August, 1932, the hosts faced off against the renowned Lwów-based club Czarni Lwów on the opening day.

Growth and expansion

The Stanisławów District League was established in 1934; already by 1935 KSZN Rypne entered playoffs, competing in the district league's Class B. That same season, the club was promoted to Class A.
As later recounted by locals, the club played well, was a solid mid-tier contender in the Polish league and often competed with clubs from Kraków and Lwów. Talented football players were invited to play for KSZN Rypne not only from the Stanisławów region, but also from other regions of the country—predominantly Greater Poland and Silesia. The athletes enjoyed good financial support in Rypne, as they were simultaneously employed in highly paid positions in the Polmin company. Amongst the club’s ranks, players hailing from Ostrów Wielkopolski particularly distinguished themselves—striker Bronisław Młynarek and goalkeeper Jaskuła.
In 1938, KSZN Rypne secured second place in Class A of the district league and, to everyone's surprise, defeated the local powerhouse Rewera Stanisławów 3:2. Boasting a squad of young and talented players, the club from Rypne was considered a highly promising team. Aside from its football section, the club also fielded a tennis team.

Scandal and disestablishment

The club found itself at the center of the last football scandal of the Second Polish Republic, which unfolded in the Stanisławów district and involved officials as well as players from KSZN Rypne and Pokucie Kołomyja. The affair was reported as follows in the Polish Sports newspaper Przegląd Sportowy, issue no. 59, dated July 24, 1939:
In September 1939, the Second World War broke out; the Soviet invasion derailed the ambitions of many Kresovian clubs. As a result, KSZN Rypne was dissolved. All in all, the club played a total of 52 matches in the StOZPN, earning 65 points with a total goal difference of +65.

Honours

Stanisławów District League

Famous players

  • Bronisław Młynarek