With temperatures well over 35° the Heidelberg Camp got off to a slow start as the 45 particpants and coaches rolled in from around Germany. At the TSG78 Heidelberg Clubhouse we soon discovered the many special features this great location offers including; the fresh sping water fountain for the outdoor field hockey field that we used to cool off after each Training session, the secret entrance to the well shaded Ultimate fields next to the clubhouse, the covered In-line Hockey court where we could hang out and do group meetings in the shade, the public swimming pool across from the Ultimate fields, dunking Basketball court and much more. Thanks go to Martin and the TSG78 for the use of this awesome facility.
Wednesday:
Our TtT head coach Heiko Walldorf started the program with a series of „meet and greet“ games geared to help the youth participants between the ages 13 and 17 and the 10 TtT Coaches get to know each other. This was followed by a WFDF level one quiz in English in small discussion groups where only English was allowed. This was a fun introduction to the fact that each player must use the „official Ultimate“ language as they go through their Ultimate playing life. The TtT coaches each lead a small group where Ultimate terms and rules were discussed and the youth were encouraged to utter their first Ultimate questions and explanations – many struggled, but all of the youth had fun!
Our sleeping quarters were located a good walk along the Neckar River at the Internationale Berufsakadamie Gymnasium located next to the main Train Station. On the first evening the participants/Trainers were confronted with our group „Escape Room“ exercise. The goal was to get „into“ the building and the problem was solved within 30 minutes – a new record (with help from Martin). The reward was a spacious gymnasium where the group could relax and hang out each night.
Short program summary by day:
Thursday morning – drills to determine the level of the players:
- Warm-up having fun: „Labskaus“ while learning names
- throwing lanes
- L-Cuts
Thursday afternoon – 4 workshops offered of which 2 could be chosen
- throwing skills
- Marking
- Cutting
- throwing long
They were still playing pick-up Ultimate with the coaches till around 9 PM and I had to ask them to stop. It was still 30° outside – crazy kids!
Friday morning – hottest day of the camp,
- Give and Go Basics
- Defense if outnumbered (1:2, 2:3)
- Playing 7 vs. 7
Friday afternoon – very hot >39°
- free time with everyone at the public swimming pool.
- mellow team building games (groups of 7 that went through 5 stations trying to complete a task together).
- we spray painted out own T-shirts with Kevin`s support – PLAY ULTIMATE!
- Culture event in Heidelberg with dinner in beautiful Heidelberg.
Saturday morning – not so hot today! Training with Max Leibersberger (Current Womens National Team Trainer)
- Warm-up
- Agility
- Patterns
- Principles and Theory of 7 vs. 7
Saturday afternoon:
- Girls und Boys separate:
- Girls with Katharina Aschenbrenner (End Zone game)
- Boys with TtT Coaches (End Zone Game)
- WFDF U20 Nationalteam Testspiel Italien – Deutschland with live stream and dinner.
Sunday:
- Hat-Tournament
- Evaluation sheet
- Fawewell and Goodbye
Our Incredible Team of Train the Trainer Coaches:
Head Coach
| Heiko | Walldorf | Mainz |
| Oliver | Hülshorst | Verl |
| Klaus | Getzlaff | Kiel |
| Uwe | Kikul | Kamen |
| Annelies | Hell | Konstanz |
| Marcel | Glass | Jena |
| Michael | Sexauer | Oberhausen-Rheinhausen |
| Katherina | Nasta | Altlußheim |
| Samuel | Fink | Altlußheim |
| Marcel | Roemhold | Altlußheim |
| Klaus | Sumowski | Münster |
Other comments:
The German Camp registration process got off to a slow start as well because we simply did not have the contacts for the Juniors. I assume the invitations published in the Wurfpost and the Facebook platform „Ultimate Players in Europe“ helped drum up attention but kids simply do not see this information themselves. In addition, flyers were provided for all camps at regional German Youth Championshops – I think that the TtT coaches proved to be the very best promoter for the camps throughout Europe and in Heidelberg. As Morris noted in his camp report, the local and National Team coaches and, in many cases, the federations around Europe simply do not understand the benefit of sending their youth players to these camps to meet, network and learn together.