Before the highlights of the year, there is unrest in German beach volleyball. Sports Director Hildebrand is free, successful coach Wagner does not want to continue as “Head of Beach Volleyball”.
Summer, sun, sand and lots of trouble: there is currently little sign of a party atmosphere in German beach volleyball.
And that just before the highlights of the year with the Elite 16 tournament of the Beach Pro Tour at Hamburg’s Rothenbaum this week, the subsequent European Championships in Munich next week and the German championships in September in Timmendorfer Strand.
In addition, the summer had started so well with World Cup bronze for Cinja Tillmann and Svenja Müller. But the release of sports director Niclas Hildebrand by the German Volleyball Association (DVV) in mid-July – which was surprising at least for outsiders – caused a lot of unrest.
Upheaval in beach volleyball
The 42-year-old is still listed on the association’s website as sports director for beach volleyball and snow volleyball. But Hildebrand’s return to his post cannot be ruled out – even if it is a “revocable release”.
The DVV sports director Julia Frauendorf, who has been in office since the beginning of the year, cannot, cannot and does not want to say anything about the specific reasons as long as there is no clarification under labor law. “It’s not a knee-jerk reaction to individual events in the recent past,” she told the German Press Agency. “It has its history and there are different events that led to the situation.”
Hildebrand himself could not be reached for comment. It is suspected in the media that his decision to give Olympic champion Kira Walkenhorst and Louise Lippmann, who switched from indoor to clay, a wildcard for the Elite 16 tournament in Hamburg, was the trigger for the separation.
For the interim duo, the tournament would be another opportunity to warm up before the European Championship. The former world-class indoor player Lippmann is to gain experience in a kind of internship during her retraining as a beach player alongside the experienced Walkenhorst. With a view to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Lippmann is teaming up with Walkenhorst’s Olympic winning partner Laura Ludwig.
But player representative Victoria Bieneck is said to have spoken out in favor of giving the wildcard for the Hamburg tournament to Leonie Klinke/Lena Ottens. Frauendorf joined in and Hildebrand felt exposed, it said.
“Kira and Louisa are crowd pullers”
“Nothing against Klinke/Ottens, but Kira and Louisa would have helped us a lot in marketing the tournament, both are spectator magnets. Even the world association cannot understand this decision,” said tournament co-organizer Frank Mackerodt, criticizing the decision in the “Hamburger Abendblatt”.
Hildebrand’s departure brings with it another personality: Jürgen Wagner has already announced that he will resign as “Head of Beach Volleyball”. In 2012 he led Julius Brink/Jonas Reckermann and four years later Ludwig/Walkenhorst to Olympic gold.
With Hildebrand he worked out a concept for Paris 2024, Wagner should develop a uniform philosophy. “If he is lost to sport, that would be bitter,” said Laura Ludwig. “He brings a lot of know-how, has experienced a lot, a lot of experience.” Frauendorf does not know whether Wagner wants to be involved in the future. “I can’t say in detail what he’s doing at the moment, but we’re in direct contact.”
As long as no new man or woman has been installed as Hildebrand’s successor, the sports director has to fulfill the tasks. “I have taken on the role of exchanging ideas with the national coaches about the issues that are currently pending, and above all the questions that are there,” she said.
“No disturbances” in the middle of the season
This week she had “open talks” ahead of the Elite 16 tournament at the Hamburg Olympic base. The clear focus is on the teams, “that they are not unnecessarily disturbed in the middle of the season or in the preparation for 2024”. The premise is that things can go on smoothly for the time being.
The national coaches are now a kind of advisory staff. But Frauendorf made it clear: “If there is no consensus, it is ultimately the case that the board makes a decision as long as there is no sports director operational.” She cannot say when the post will be filled again. “In principle, we still have a lot of conceptual work ahead of us.”
According to Frauendorf, only a few players reported after the Hildebrand release. “Most are focused on the season and the highlights ahead,” she said. Because: “As far as sporting events are concerned, it’s a nice and full month, especially in Germany.”