Challenges and Lessons in German Water Polo | Lessons from Germany | Water Polo Note

After a two-year hiatus, I have finally returned to the European stage. My destination was Germany🇩🇪. I fought through the season in a new environment and with new teammates.

This time, I would like to write honestly about what I felt through my days with the German team.

Joining the team from the second half of the season

Due to an unfortunate injury, I was only able to join the team from the second half of the season. However, my previous experience in America and Serbia was valued, and I was able to secure playing opportunities starting from the first game of the latter half of the league.
I struggled against the German players who pushed their physical strength and physique to the forefront and competed with power, but I gradually established my place. As a result, I was able to contribute to achieving the goals set by the team.

Unexpectedly appointed as U12 team coach

Actually, a few weeks after arriving in Germany, I was given a special opportunity. It was to be an assistant coach for the club's U12 team.
Although I could not speak German well yet, the club staff and children welcomed me warmly, and I was able to gain a very valuable experience. I learned many things while actually coaching, such as how to instruct and interact with elementary school players. I would like to write more carefully about the realizations and lessons I gained from this coaching experience at another time!

The "rational judgment" required in Germany

In teams that receive support from sponsors and the local community, players are strongly required to behave correctly and produce results. The club I belonged to was no exception.
What was required of me there was to always make rational judgments to achieve our goals. In sports, it is inevitable that a player's emotions will affect their performance. Sometimes, high spirits can lead to wonderful plays, but emotional judgments can also ruin a game.
In Germany, it is not permitted for plays or formations to collapse due to emotions. I got the impression that they focus on every detail to win games and achieve goals, and carry out tasks one by one with certainty.
For me, as someone who researches performance, coaching, and environment construction from a psychological perspective, this was very interesting. It was a very interesting discovery that a firm stance of "being strong in one's commitment and following through to the end" was reflected in the team's unity and daily practice.

After finishing the season and achieving my goals, I returned to Japan to prepare for the next season. Just as I was thinking about wanting to learn more about performance and team building through German water polo, the situation I had feared finally occurred.

To be continued next time...!

Joining the Team Mid-Season

Due to an unfortunate injury, I wasn't able to join the team until the second half of the season. However, the coaches recognized my experience from my time in America and Serbia, and I was able to get on the field from the very first game of the second half.
The German players were tough. They came at me with sheer physicality, using their strength and size to their advantage. I struggled at first, but I gradually carved out my place on the team and ultimately helped them achieve their goals for the season.

An Unexpected Role: Assistant Coach

A few weeks after arriving in Germany, I was given a very special opportunity: becoming the assistant coach for the U12 team.
Even though my German wasn't very good, the club staff and the kids welcomed me with open arms. It was an incredibly valuable experience. I learned so much about how to coach and interact with elementary school-aged players. I'll be sure to write more about the lessons I learned from this coaching experience in a future post!

What Germany Demands: Rationality

In a team supported by sponsors and the local community, players are expected to perform well and behave professionally. My club was no exception.
The main thing they demanded of me was to always make rational decisions to achieve our goals.
It's no secret that emotions play a big part in sports. Sometimes, a player's passion can lead to an amazing performance. Other times, an emotional decision can completely ruin a game. In Germany, there was no room for a play or a formation to break down because of emotions. There was an incredible attention to detail when it came to winning games and achieving goals, and we were expected to execute each task flawlessly.
As someone who researches performance, coaching, and environment-building from a psychological perspective, this was fascinating. What I found most interesting was the unwavering commitment to "sticking to the plan and seeing it through to the end," which was evident in the team's cohesion and daily training.
After a successful season, I returned to Japan to prepare for the next one. I was eager to learn more about water polo, performance, and team building in Germany. However, just when I was ready to start, what I had been dreading finally happened.

More on that next time...