GS Sports Club

About

Galatasaray Sports Club, located on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey, is a prominent Turkish sports organization renowned for its association football department. In addition to football, the club encompasses various other departments such as basketball, wheelchair basketball, volleyball, water polo, handball, athletics, swimming, rowing, sailing, judo, bridge, motorsport, equestrian, esports, and chess. Galatasaray S.K. is an integral part of the Galatasaray Community Cooperation Committee, collaborating with Galatasaray University and the esteemed Galatasaray High School.

The club's name has historical roots traced back to the establishment of Mekteb-i Sultani, initially built by Beyazıt II to educate future politicians, which later evolved into the renowned Galatasaray High School. In the club's early years, players contributed a kurus to manage its affairs, with responsibilities shared among members like Ali Sami Yen overseeing the ball and Cevdet Kalpakçoğlu handling uniform cleaning. The team's inaugural match against a Greek opponent led spectators to christen them as the "Masters of Galata Palace" (in Turkish – Galata Saray).

Galatasaray S.K. stands out as one of Europe's most successful and decorated multi-sport clubs. It is the only Turkish club and one of the few European multi-sport clubs to secure 22 international titles.

As a former athlete of the club and an alumnus of the prestigious Galatasaray High School, I became a part of Galatasaray Sports Club in 2013.