Bürstadt. Saturday, shortly after 11 a.m. in the stadium on Wasserwerkstrasse. At first glance, the unprepared viewer opens up an almost unbelievable scenario: More than 80 children and young people are training their favorite sport, American football. Observed and instructed by twelve coaches and supervisors.
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The little flaggies of the U13 and their somewhat older comrades from the Redskins Juniors concentrate on the tasks that their football coaches have given them. “But aren’t we in the middle of a lockdown?” It may go through the mind of one or the other viewer. If you take a closer look, you can quickly see what is actually happening. And immediately an obviously well thought-out system of organization becomes recognizable, through which before, during and after the training, more than the currently maximum number of people directly meet each other.
“The health of our active players and their environment is our most important concern, and that’s exactly how we act,” says Anna Messina, head of the American Football and Cheerleading department. “The stadium offers more than 8,000 square meters of space. So we would have around 100 square meters available for each individual present. ”According to the ingenious system, only the maximum number of active participants meet and always in the same constellation. It starts at the entrance, where all training participants register. From there it goes to the disinfection station and then through security corridors directly to the training area marked for each individual by the coaches. Only then are the active members allowed to take off their masks. “All coaches, supervisors and those responsible – this also applies to myself – have already done a quick test today,” emphasizes Messina.
Test result always with you
“We carry the test result with us, just as we only remove the mask outside of the sports area. And only if we have enough distance from others. The whole thing is strictly observed by specially briefed parents or responsible members of the department, who also intervene and help if a training participant should ever lose track. “
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A little later, the training for the U13 flaggies is over, because soon the seniors will come to the field, which requires a reorganization of the “practice squares”. The little flag footballers pack their labeled water bottles and towels in their sports bags, put their mouth and nose protection back on and use the marked access routes towards the exit.
The reigning Hessian champions from Bürstadt have been used to it for three weeks. And that’s why they don’t even have to be asked to behave properly. Disciplined and at a distance, but still happy and a little exhausted, they go to the disinfection station for the second time after the start of training, clean their hands thoroughly and leave the training area with more than enough distance to the next one.
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Meanwhile, the Tackle Juniors of the Redskins continue to work through their tasks and even find time in between to tease and cheer each other across the security corridors. This great atmosphere inevitably creates goosebumps between all the restrictions of everyday life.
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Andreas Röß, chairman of the TV, and Harry Frommeld, head of communications for the American football and cheerleading department, look at the action benevolently while they talk to a visibly impressed representative of the city on the Redskins’ VIP terrace – keeping their distance, of course. “As you can see, there are no opportunists at work here who simply take advantage of what is allowed, but a steering team that works carefully and with perspective.”
“Sport is possible”
The Redskins have already proven this last year in seven successfully completed events with an audience. Without a single corona case here on the square. “Even in our training sessions, nothing is left to chance,” says Harry Frommeld, himself the father of a player. “In this way, we enable our active people to keep themselves physically fit during this time, to see friends and to do their sport.” He wants to show that under certain conditions sport, fun and teamwork are possible even during a pandemic. This strengthens the immune system and shapes social awareness, mutual respect and the sense of community.
“We adults can learn a lot from the behavior of the children and young people here on the square, which we have lost in the past few months. The kids deserve our greatest respect. ” red
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