Behind the Bundesliga women’s basketball team of the Medical Instinct Veilchen BG 74 lies a relegation, a season with many injuries and Covid infections, with internal personnel changes, with narrow sporting defeats and with a future that entails fewer financial opportunities. The management of the Violet Ladies and representatives of the BG 74 association got together and explored possibilities and perspectives. A lot was put to the test. With the result: Even if it were possible to get a wildcard for the first division (DBBL), it should continue in the 2nd Bundesliga North.
The 2021/22 season came to an abrupt end for the women from Göttingen – somehow also fitting to the entire course of the season, which managing director Richard Crowder described as “catastrophic in almost every respect”. Covid infections prevented the last home game from being played, and it was no longer possible to say goodbye to the fans.
The misery of the injured started early: on the fourth day of training, Sandra Azinovic tore a cruciate ligament. Ruzica Dzankic’s long-term back injury followed in October. A six-week injury to Jenny Crowder, which she sustained while training with the national team, and Lena Wenke’s absence from November until the end of the season followed. The newly signed Dragana Domuzin was twice out due to injuries, each for 14 days.
The team also had to compensate for corona cases again and again: Dragana Domuzin, Annika and Meike Oevermann, Sylwia Bujniak, Kristyna Brabencova, Thalia Kretschmar, Kat Tudor, Marie Reichert and finally Jenny Crowder were affected one after the other. “In hindsight, it would have been better if we all played together – so most of the time we didn’t have ten players in training,” says Richard Crowder.
In addition, due to staff shortages, there were repeated narrow defeats. Eight matches were lost with a difference of less than eight points. “So you can definitely say that we had a lot of bad luck and the league was like a lottery at times,” says Richard Crowder. “And yet the sporting failure was not just bad luck – mistakes were made in management and also in the coaching team, which we want to analyze and avoid for the future,” Richard Crowder also criticizes himself.
“In management, we pushed our financial limits to remain competitive – unfortunately without success in the end. The season was also extremely difficult from an organizational point of view,” explains Richard Crowder. His co-managing director Roland Emme-Weiß had to step down for personal reasons. Promised help in other areas has not materialized. For the coming second division season, in which the requirements are not as high as in the DBBL, support is still urgently needed in various areas.
In the weeks before and also after the sporting descent, “various two-pronged thoughts developed, which have meanwhile developed into a plan for the future”. Constructive talks were held with the club about this. This also revealed that a possible wildcard for the 1st Bundesliga will not be applied for. A license application would have to be submitted by April 15th. “For various reasons we will compete in the 2nd league north. In the last few weeks we have received one or two sponsor notices that will lead to a budget reduction. In addition, Roland Emme-Weiß has explained for understandable reasons that he now has to officially resign from his position as managing director. With this in mind, the decision to play in the 2nd division north next season is hopefully understandable,” summarizes Richard Crowder.
“In the 2nd division we have more opportunities to push ahead with the internal reorganization as well as the reconstruction of our team. These thoughts and initial plans have found the approval of the association in the discussions held, so that we want to walk this path together. Sometimes it makes sense to take a step back in order to pool your strengths and aim for renewed ascent,” says Richard Crowder, who will continue to be involved in Göttingen women’s basketball in the future – regardless of whether his daughter Jenny will continue to wear the violet jersey or not . “I joined in 2014, so Jenny didn’t play in Göttingen either,” says her father, who is very keen that there is still competitive women’s basketball in the city.
While concrete squad planning has not yet begun, a personal is already certain. The contract with coach Goran Lojo will be terminated by mutual agreement in the summer. He and his family have always identified with the team and the city over the past three years and feel very comfortable in Göttingen, reports the managing director. Under certain circumstances, his family will remain in Göttingen, even if the coach will work abroad. “The commitment of a new coach is imminent and will probably be completed in April,” says Richard Crowder.
“We will certainly set ourselves ambitious goals for the coming season. To do this, we will have to rebuild our team and strengthen it in certain areas. Promotion is not mandatory, but reaching the play-offs will certainly be the declared goal,” Richard Crowder is still sportingly ambitious.
By Kathrin Lienig
