Coach legend Peter Lutzny takes it easy.
Erding - There was also a downer in the joy of the German kickboxer's performance at the World Championships in Jesolo, Italy: It was the last World Cup for long-time national coach Peter Lutzny (62), who declared his commitment to be over after the tournament.
“It didn't come as a surprise for the athletes and the association, because I had already announced in June that I would officially stop on November 1st,” says Erdinger. “But I didn't want to let the athletes down at the World Cup.” Among the twelve German participants there were four Erdinger with Tatjana Obermeier, Emma Winter, Paul Kästner and Reza Rezaei, who won one silver and two bronze medals. "I'm 62 now, so I can stop there too," says Lutzny with a smile.
The professional soldier has been in the ring since his youth, celebrating successes as a boxer and kickboxer, before he later devoted himself to coaching and was promoted to national coach. "I was then called up for military exercises and was then allowed to train the sports soldiers," he says. Otherwise, of course, he dealt with the local fighters of the kickboxing club (KBV) Erding and also at the association level with the top Bavarian kickboxers.
Now the time has simply come to slow down. “The effort as a national coach is simply immense,” says Lutzny. “There are 16 measures a year, that's 16 weekends, plus eight days at the European Championship or World Cup.” In addition, he is physically not as fit as he was a few years ago. "At 40 or 50, that doesn't bother you, but at some point the problems come." Meanwhile, he has knee problems, a hand that has been operated on several times hurts him, "and a shoulder operation is also pending, which I kept pushing". With a laugh he adds: “An athlete stops at 40 - a coach doesn't.” In addition, “I have two lovely grandchildren, aged one and a half and three and a half, who also claim their rights, and with whom I have more time want to spend. "
What made him incredibly happy and also touched was the farewell to the fighters after the Kickboxing World Championships in Jesolo. "You gave me a photo book in which every athlete has immortalized himself, with photos and personal dedications - that was really moving," says the 62-year-old. "There are such great stories in there that you only notice what you have given the athletes over the years."
"I leave without resentment," emphasizes Lutzny, and he values the statement: "I made a clean handover." His successor will be Timo Herzberg from Hamburg. "He was already at the World Cup and we worked very well together," says Erdinger, adding: "But he has already made plans." Herzberg is only 34 years old, has two children and runs three fitness studios in Hamburg . "He's already very much involved in terms of time," says Erdinger, and as a national coach, the effort - as already mentioned - is not exactly small. In any case, he wishes Herzberg the best of luck and success in his difficult task.
In conclusion, Lutzny says that he can look back on a good time and that he promises that he will not retire from the coaching business entirely.
"I will continue to look after the Bayern team, together with Alex Häusser, and my Erdinger anyway," he says, adding: "But I don't travel anymore."
