The footballs and basketballs had hardly been stowed away after the two-day camp, which the two clubs Hannover 96 and BG Göttingen had organized for the first time, when the call for a repetition was already there. 45 children and young people between the ages of six and 14 – including a girl – tried out this unusual combination. Andreas Scheede, youth trainer at BG Göttingen, described the composition of the group as a “good mix”. There were only two children who had no previous experience in either sport.
Scheede, together with coach Jan-Erik Keysers from Quakenbrück, took over the basketball part of this two-day camp, where the children trained together for six hours each in the hall of the Felix-Klein-Gymnasium in Göttingen and on its outdoor area. Michael Wolf and his colleagues from the football school of the second division team Hannover 96 took care of the content for the young players.
The basics for a better feel for the ball and tactical thinking were taught in playful exercises. In simplified forms of play, the two types of sport were switched over and over again, which not only increased the excitement but also the cognitive processing. All participants took off the basketball badge.
A joint lunch – hamburger and spaghetti Bolognese – came from the kitchen of the New Bethlehem Hospital on both days. Cereal bars and fruit as well as drinks were available as snacks in between. BG player Haris Hujic stopped by the children on the first day after his training session with the violets, chatted about his teammates and his own strengths and weaknesses, answered questions – and of course gave autographs. The basketball pro fulfilled a special wish for eight-year-old Niklas from Hanover, who is not only a fervent BG fan but also a 96 supporter: Because the little boy was unable to attend the camp after an accident, Hujic spontaneously sent him a video message .
Both sides – the BG Göttingen as well as Hannover 96 – want to continue the cooperation and possibly organize a camp in the state capital this year. In any case, there should be a repeat in Göttingen next year.
By Kathrin Lienig
