Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2018/2019

Stuttgart hired for the first time a mental coach (a good idea IMHO after the disappointment in last final series): Anni Schumacher, a recent, but former beach volleyball player, which has also studied psychology. At least Schwerin and Vilsbiburg have such a person since a number of years and this is another step in getting more professional of the league. Still the major deficit is lack of money generally in this sports in Germany, all other prerequisites are now there, I think. But nothing has changed: each club is tediously fighting for more financial support with different results, more due to local conditions than anything else. No league sponsor was found for example so far.

Yes, and so far I remember we had never a player exceeding 2 m in the league, at least not in the ten last years, and now we have two. Do they intend to go the "Russian way" ? (ironically with US players)

That would be 2.01 m in metric units (the non-metric units nonsense should be cancelled meanwhile, I think) for both, considering, that there are often differences of 1 to 2 in the last digit nothing to worry about. I think, the reason isn't, that humans shrink about 1 cm from morning to evening typically and get back at night to the higher value. Because this is well-known, they hopefully measure always at the same time of the day...

Quote from MariaOzawaFan

@Stefan,

are there any news about the libera position in Stuttgart?

Not, that I'am aware of - I can ask on Friday at a team event, but I don't know, if than it will be clear already,

Quote from StefanS

Not, that I'am aware of - I can ask on Friday at a team event, but I don't know, if than it will be clear already,

Yesterday I attended the team presentation (for sponsors and team Europa members like me) and the issue isn't clarified yet. It turns out, that a last medical investigation at beginning of next week will decide, if Fin Roosa Keskelo will play for Stuttgart as intended, because the found medical issue is not necessarily that severe as first suspected. There is also an alternative plan, but team director Kim Renkema wasn't very clear about it; possibly (but not likely) Lenka Dürr could be part of it.

A few perspective remarks regarding first league teams: from the southern part of the second league Offenburg confirmed, that their goal for the season is to win the competition again and to apply in any case for a first league license next season. Interestingly, the capital city club Rotation Prenzlauer Berg (a city quarter of Berlin, rotation doesn't have volleyball specific background, but comes from the printing industry) from the Northern part of second league, which climbed from one league to another one higher each year now also intends to join first league in the near future.

This is a rather interesting development, because for the first time in many years combined with the currently 11 professional teams those two new would exceed in sum the goal of 12 such teams in first league, i.e. this could mean reappearing relegation between first and second league due to results, not like now only due financial and hall availability circumstances. This is not sure, because the league considers to expand to more than 12 teams, which would be a mistake IMHO. You can see the possible outcome in Poland now...

Quote from Phil

Poland is really good example of how money can destroy the volleyball leagues. Some teams have debts but always compete, other teams sell their spots etc...

For example, Proxima Kraków. According to rules new team can start competing in the third division buying wild card. Proxima in first season (16/17) started from second division. They were supposed to play in 3rd div but bought a license from Silesia Volley (which played on MKS Proszowice license :D). They finished the season in second place, not advancing to the first division so team management decided to merge with Trefl Sopot. So we had new team in LSK which was founded one year before... And now Proxima is gone because of hall and other financial reasons...

L.eclerc Radomka started competing from second league (third division), basically buying a spot. They were the whole season at the bottom of the rank but decided to buy a license from a second division team... Last season they finished in 6th place and team management decided to take over MKS Muszyna in order to play in LSK..

At least no women's team seems to intend to buy a first league wildcard now possible, as already one men's team did and another intended it. This is a sign, that the women's league is a little more serious and professional than men's league in Germany overall.

Quote from ThomasHH

Rotation have no Volleyball Background? That's funny

That's the reason, why I pointed it out, because it would be a too obvious verbal connection.

Wiesbaden wrote, that Zaloznik now leaves the team for continuing university studies, and they hired US middle Alexis Matthews instead, so they have now four middles in total (while Simona Kosova can't play in near future of them), and 12 players in total. This is the complete roster for the moment anyway.

Volleyball magazine reports, that Irina Kemmsies retires in her young age from professional volleyball - NT head coach Felix Koslowski will try her to get back after one year break into this business anyway. Her retirement will respective would be a big loss for German volleyball, because there are not too many decent setters (safe for other positions, where we have also not that many options...).