The table tennis women of TTC Birkland will start in the Oberliga Bayern on Sunday: It will be a special season, not least because of Corona.
The TTC team is nevertheless optimistic;
however, the preparation turned out to be difficult.
Birkland - They play in the same league as they did before, they have the same squad - and yet the table tennis women at TTC Birkland are breaking new ground when they start the season on Sunday, September 13th.
Because Corona is also causing serious changes in table tennis.
After all: Since this is not a contact sport, the start of the season has been certain for a long time.
Question marks still remain.
"We are curious to see how the games will go and whether we can go through the season as planned," says TTC player Lena Berchtold.
At the same time she emphasizes: “We are happy.
It's nice that we can measure ourselves against the table tennis tables again. "
The preparation for the round in the Oberliga Bayern “turned out to be difficult”, reports Lena Berchtold.
In any case, the TTC women hardly ever train together, as none of them live in Birkland.
In table tennis it is not uncommon for players to visit other clubs for training during the week.
Due to the corona restrictions, however, the sports halls were completely closed for a long time.
Some of the parishes allowed them until the summer vacation (we reported).
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Number one again at TTC Birkland: Karin Stumpfecker.
© Roland Halmel
Lena Berchtold could at least manage a little.
Since her parents are involved in the association, she was able to go to the gym in Birkland from the beginning of August.
There - important in Corona times - ventilation is very possible, according to the TTC player.
The airflow sometimes even blows the balls away, she says with a smile.
In addition, Lena Berchtold had the opportunity to act as a sparring partner in BTTV management courses.
On top of that, she was able to train once a week at TSV Schwabhausen, whose first team plays in the Bundesliga.
Overall, however, “we couldn't play a lot,” reports Lena Berchtold.
Because the hall capacities were limited by Corona, external players had a hard time.
The clubs "want their own people to train first," says Lena Berchtold.
This is also understandable.
The problem that the preparation was bumpy this year "will be faced by many others too".
TTC Birkland: A place in the front half of the table is the goal
In any case, the TTC Birkland is optimistic about the new season.
"The goal is to land in the front half of the table," says Lena Berchtold.
Last season, the team finished second at the demolition - the tables from March 13th were evaluated - (10 wins / 3 draws / 1 loss).
According to the regulations, the TTC would have had the right to promotion to the regional league, in which it played until 2017, but waived.
At the start next Sunday (2pm) it is at home against RV Viktoria Wombach II. Last season Birkland won 8-0 at home and played 7-7 away.
TTC Birkland: Start of the season at home against Viktoria Wombach II
The Upper Bavarian squad is almost identical to that of last year.
Karin Stumpfecker (position 1), Lena Berchtold (2), Lisa Berchtold (3), Daniela Rinner (4) and Lisa Böhmländer (5) are on the BTTV player list.
Julia Holz, who recently had a child, may join the team later in the season.
Lisa Berchtold, who now lives in France, will, according to current planning, not complete assignments for the TTC until the end of October.
"We have to see which entry regulations apply," says Lena Berchtold with a view to certain uncertainties that Corona brings with it.
The infection protection also has an effect on the athletic.
The German Table Tennis Association (DTB) has sent the higher-class clubs a multi-page “stage directions for the national game classes”.
There you will find a list of what needs to be considered during the games so that the highest possible protection against infection is guaranteed.
Doubles are not played, but - regardless of the score - all singles are played.
In the case of the Birklands, results between 12: 0 and 6: 6 are possible.
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A support of the team: Lisa Berchtold (here in doubles with Karin Stumpfecker).
© Roland Halmel
The inactive people in the hall are required to wear mouth and nose protection.
The tables and scoring boards must be cleaned after each game.
“The referee has to decide whether and when the game is interrupted to ventilate the hall,” says Lena Berchtold.
If a team or a team member is in quarantine, games can also be postponed at short notice.
According to Lena Berchtold, the rules will "be in effect until at least the end of December, and in the second half of the season it will be decided again whether it will continue in the same way or whether other rules will be introduced".
TTC Birkland: game system changed due to Corona
So far, the stipulation still applies that only the team of the target strength (four players in the women's league) plus three other people (coach, supervisor, physiotherapist, etc.) per team are allowed to stay in the hall. Perhaps that will change in Bavaria from September 19th. Because according to the latest decision by the state government regarding competitions, indoor sports events will in future even be allowed to view spectators - at most up to 200 visitors.