The club, based in the Biały Kamień neighbourhood, is the most famous for its football team, which competed in the Polish top division in the past.

The name was disliked by most fans and was changed in 1968 into Zagłębie, which means coal basin in Polish, as Wałbrzych was an important center of mining.

In 1968, Zagłębie Wałbrzych won promotion to the Ekstraklasa, and in the 1970–71 season, it finished in the 3rd spot, after Górnik Zabrze and Legia Warsaw.

[1] On 6 April 2006, the "Stowarzyszenie GKS Zagłębie Wałbrzych", was created, reactivating the football section of the club.

[2] Marian Szeja, Joachim Stachuła and Stanisław Paździor have all played in the Poland national football team.