Mona Boyer is 34 years old and plays for SV Lohhof in the second volleyball Bundesliga. As a teenager, she started playing this ball sport at TS Jahn Munich. In 2003, she moved to Lohhof, played there for five years, celebrated promotion to the second highest division and became champion and runner-up with her team. Then she moved on to the first league in Stuttgart, Vilsbiburg and Köpenick. After a break from top-level sport in 2019, she returned to Lohhof, where she is currently the head of the second division team as a setter. Her greatest success was winning the cup final with the Stuttgart team in 2011.
SZ: Football is still the number one sport in Germany. What is better about volleyball than football?
Mona Boyer: Like football, volleyball is extremely demanding in terms of technique and tactics. In my opinion, the big difference is that in volleyball there is action every minute and the game is not decided until the last point. Added to this is the fact that in football, teams can also end up with a draw. Thank God, that is not the case in volleyball. From a sporting point of view, that would not be satisfactory for me. There has to be a winner.
Do you have role models?
I don’t have any role models in the traditional sense. But I’m very passionate about sports, I like to watch sports documentaries and of course I have favorite athletes whose careers I follow enthusiastically and who I admire for that. LeBron James and Roger Federer are at the top of the list.
Is volleyball good for your figure?
Sure. I think most sporting activities are “good for your figure.”
Is that healthy too?
Everything in moderation. Unfortunately, all the jumping on the gym floor puts a lot of strain on your joints.
Have you ever not felt like training but still went?
In my ten years of professional sport, there have been countless training sessions that I didn’t feel like going to. I think that’s normal. Of course you push yourself and go anyway. It’s your job. And you have a responsibility to your team.
Is volleyball complicated for beginners?
I think volleyball is a fantastic sport for all kids from about eight years old. It helps if they already have some affinity for the ball, but I don’t think volleyball is particularly difficult for beginners.
What was the best moment in sport for you?
I’ve had so much luck in sport, with the clubs and the teams and so many great moments. Winning the cup with Stuttgart was definitely one of my favorites. We had a really great team and beat the favorites Dresden in the cup semi-finals after being 2-0 down. A lot of things just came together.
Who is your favorite at the Olympics?
Of course I follow our men’s volleyball team and keep my fingers crossed for them. But I also watch beach volleyball and many other sports. My personal top favorite is the American men’s basketball team.
In this column, the SZ editorial team introduces athletes from the District of Munich Questions about their discipline.
