5./6. July, 2003
After playing with the Hallunken in the Winter at the Qualification and Relagation for the Indoor National Championships, we couldn't get a team together for the actual championship tounament. Luckily, they invited me to play with them in the outdoor season. I really can't contribute much to the effort, but this is a great oppertunity for me, and I will definately try my hardest to help out. Our first task was to qualify for the 3rd division championships. But first, a rough introduction into the structure of German Club Frisbee, for those who don't know:
In German Ultimate Frisbee, there are many teams and many tournaments. College teams exist only for the purpose of the Colligiate Championship Tournement, and the teams are made out of a mixture of intramural players and club players. Although many teams have developed out of intramural teams, almost all tournements are played by club teams. There are also different types of tournements. Fun-Tournements are played for the sake of frisbee sport and fun. Then there is the series that leads to the German Championship. In Germany there are 3 divisions (1 through 3), each with 10 teams from all over germany. In each division, the bottom half of the teams (that means the teams placing 6th through 10th at the championships the year before) must defend their right to stay in their respective division against the top half of the division below. This takes place at the A-Relagation (divsions 1 and 2) and the B-Relagation (divisions 2 and 3). I think the best 5 in the first division automatically return the next year. Any team in Germany wishing to play in the 3rd division championships have to qualify, along with the bottom 5 teams from the 3rd division. That means there are normally 5 places for teams to qualify. This year, I think a team from a higher division is not playing, so there are a total of 6 places for qualifying teams. Because of this, the winner of the qualifying tourniment is allowed to play (this year) in the B-Relagation, which means they have a chance to play directly in the 2nd division.
This last weekend, we played in the Qualification for the 3rd division, which meant that we needed to place at least 6th to qualify for the championship tournement, which will be in Hamburg on the 25.-27. of July. Three wins out of four on the first day would have given us an automatic qualification, but it was tough compitition. Our first game was against Marburg, and we knew we didn't have a chance. The 3:10 loss was a dapener to our spirits, but the worst part of the game were the injuries. Stephan reinjured his leg and Marburg lost a good player (altough we all gained a humerous side-line comentator!). Anyway, I guess the mood didn't improve in time, because we lost our next match against the Heidies 4:11. Wee needed a turnaround in order to get to Hamburg, and it happend against the Kids. In this must win game we finally got clicking, and won 11:6. We kept it going and hammered Illmenau 13:1. I have to give alot of respect to Illmenau. They came with only 7 players, which means no one could take a break. So we ended the day as 3rd in Our pool. Our qualification was definately not certain, but it was looking better than it did in the morning.
We had a nice grilling sesion and then went into town, where we had dinner. Marburg is a really pretty town. It has a nice old-town including a castle that we could see from the playing field. I especially liked the Lahn (the River) and its pretty banks.
In the morning we were warm and ready to go. We beat the Happy-Fish 13:1 and found ourselves pit against the Augsburger ina game that would ensure our qualification, if we win. Indeed, we won 9:6 and we were on our way to Hamburg! In an anti-climactical match against the Wegwerfgesellschaft, we won 12:6. Other interesting games included the final between Marburg and Rostock and the game for the 6th and final qualifying place between Augsbug and the Kids. Rostock beat Marburg in the best comentated ultimate frisbee game ever, and have to go to Düsseldorf next weekend to play in the B-Religation. Augsburg also beat the Kids in a close game.
Well, a long report with a short message: We'll be there in Hamburg!
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