Belleben / MZ – Anyone looking for the sports field in Belleben on Saturday just had to follow their hearing. Or the cars with license plates from Magdeburg or the Harz region. Because their inmates also wanted to play American football. And you could experience it on the sports field when the salt country racoons on the Hall falcon met. With the kick-off, the big boys aren’t that fussy.
Where in other sports you start to the point, it starts here when everyone is there. In this case 1:53 p.m. A little more than two hours later, the winner was Halle. The Falcons won 34-3 after the host raccoons had led 3-0 through a field goal from Florian Block until the end of the second quarter.
“But then the people of Halle literally overran us and played out their greater experience,” said Ron Neumeister. Neumeister is a team manager and head coach, i.e. head coach. According to him, there were three other reasons for the clear defeat in the end.
“We had to cope with the failures of three important players on the defensive.”
Ron Neumeister, head coach of the Salzland Racoons
“During the game, we had to cope with the failures of three important defensive players.” According to Neumeister, this is an important pillar. “We don’t know for sure yet, but a couple of the ligaments have probably torn. It will be a long failure, ”said Neumeister about one of the trio, although he refrains from mentioning the name.
When an injured player is treated on the field, all other players kneel out of respect. And bid him farewell to the lawn with encouraging applause.
On the edge of it, Kevin, who with his curly red head and glasses reminds a little of the young Ed Sheeran, was a sought-after man. Because the game is played with six balls, of course not at the same time.
“Each team brings three balls. And so that nobody can say that someone has gained an advantage with the balls, they are changed at regular intervals, ”explains Neumeister. And that’s where Kevin, the ball boy, has an important role to play.
Whenever one of the seven referees asked him to, he brought new play equipment. Yes, seven referees, including one with a white cap. This is the main referee who will also impose any penalties.
Seven referees are needed to keep an eye on the game
Seven referees are therefore necessary in order to keep an eye on what is happening from different positions and angles. Because when 22 players sometimes really collide, it can quickly become confusing in the crowd.
The age structure of the racoons is just as diverse as the weight of the players. “We also have a few guys with us for whom football or handball would be nothing. That’s the nice thing that they have found something for themselves here, ”said Neumeister, who is supported by a large team on the sidelines.
Including Mirko Parnow, head of the Salzland Racoons, a department of SV Belleben. He is also considered to be the initiator of the founding of the Racoons last year. In contrast, the Halle Falken has existed since 1999 and it is not only thanks to the students in the Saalestadt that the Halle residents have much greater potential and also gave the 428 spectators an international flair.
The Racoons can therefore rely on the experience of an American: Jeff Bates. The former soldier stayed in Germany and lives in Aschersleben. At the Racoons, he acts as a quarterback coach.
But there is much more to the raccoons than players and coaches. Among other things, racoon burgers, racoon cups and delicious ones that you can choose yourself for a donation. But shortly before the game you should make room at the cake buffet, because then three young women ignite fog pots and through the colorful clouds the racoons storm towards the playing field, accompanied by loud music and surrounded by lots of amateur photographers.
All that didn’t make use of it on Saturday against Halle Falken. But: “We are on schedule,” says Neumeister. After all, his team had won the start of the association league season against the Burgenlandkreis Underdogs 41: 6. Next Sunday it’s off to Suhl, where the Gunslingers (gunslingers) are waiting. Who just comes up with these names?
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