As of: March 9, 2024, 8:45 a.m
By: Paul Hopp
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Football tennis can sometimes be fast-paced.
The photo shows a scene from the game between Moosburg (photo) and Weiden.
© Paul Hopp
Football tennis is a tradition at RSV Penzberg.
A recent tournament in the Josef Boos Hall showed that the sport has many interesting facets.
Penzberg
– The last ball was played, the last second had passed, when Sepp Christ raised his arms in the air with a happy face.
A pleased “yes” came from the RSV Penzberg player, he turned to the side and high-fived his club colleague Thomas Keller.
Football tennis: RSV Penzberg is a traditional location
The host Penzbergers had a successful final game in the Bavarian championship, defeating BRSV Schönwald from Upper Franconia.
The fact that two other teams then fought for the title in a real “final” thanks to the game plan was a gift.
According to club boss Christ, the Penzbergers were “very satisfied” because, on the one hand, they had carried out the tournament smoothly and, on the other hand, they had fulfilled their sporting expectations.
Fifth place overall went to Penzberger, with the rehabilitation sports club leaving three teams (BRSV Schönwald, TSV Kümmersbruck, VSV Straubing) behind.
Winning against them and placing ahead of them “was our goal,” explains Christ.
The Penzberg managed that quite clearly, they were five points ahead of the Schönwalder in the final table.
The ball must be placed in a field that is not too large.
The photo shows a scene between Fürth and Penzberg II. © Paul Hopp
Football tennis: old and young play together
However, the gap ahead was even clearer.
The teams in the top four “play in a different league,” says Christ.
RGSV Moosburg once again underlined its current top position in the Free State.
Last May the team even won the German championship title for the first time.
Against such an opponent, “you’re lucky if you’re allowed to play at all,” says Christ with a smile.
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At the end of the tournament, Moosburg and BVS Weiden, who finished second, fought a duel at a high level over 2 x 7 minutes.
Both teams showed that football tennis is a fast-paced sport that requires technical finesse and tactics and at the same time can attract spectators (apart from the professional audience).
Compared to most other teams, both Moosburg and Weiden have numerous young players in their squad.
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And off to the opponent with the ball: football tennis requires a lot of coordination.
The photo shows a scene from the game between Moosburg (photo) and Weiden.
© Paul Hopp
Football tennis in the Free State runs under the umbrella of the Bavarian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association.
In order to be able to play, “you don’t need a physical disability,” emphasizes Christ.
The club chairman is also the football tennis trainer at RSV.
Christ, now 63, came to football tennis a good four decades ago.
Football tennis
Football tennis is played on a field 20 meters long and 8 meters wide, which is divided into two fields in the middle by a line and a band stretched one meter high.
Each team (four players each) has the task of returning the ball that was passed to them over the tape.
A mistake or an unreachable ball ended the game.
The ball may be touched with the foot, leg, head and torso (except the arms).
Any mistake made by one team is credited as a point to the other.
The team that scores the most goals during the season wins.
At that time he had to end his career as a footballer due to torn cruciate ligaments.
Through his father-in-law he came to the special variant, which is a little similar to sitting and volleyball.
In the 1980s, the Penzbergers were a big number when it came to “football tennis,” including winning the Bavarian championship seven times in a row.
At that time there were also several leagues, the RSV was consistently in the top division.
Back then, “I was still the chick,” Christ remembers.
“I wasn’t allowed to play in the tournaments yet” because there were so many players.
Football tennis: Good participation in training in Penzberg
In between, after the glory days, the Penzberg club went through a dry spell, but Christ always remained connected to football tennis.
“It's just a cool thing,” he says with enthusiasm in his voice.
When the division was about to close, the
then RSV chairman
Peter Holzmann approached him.
Christ took the reins, got his trainer's license and made sure things got better again.
The Penzbergers have been “regularly taking part in tournaments” for more than a decade, as he says.
In football tennis, the ball can be played with the foot, leg, head and plucker (without arms).
© Paul Hopp
At the competition last weekend in the
Josef-Boos-Halle,
the RSV was even able to field two teams.
However, the second set played out of competition.
Christ wanted to give as many members as possible the chance to play.
The division's weekly training on Thursday (6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) in the Josef Boos Hall is usually well attended.
There are always around a dozen players, which means three teams can be formed.
Most of the games are played after an appropriate warm-up program, although Christ would also include more individual training.
Football tennis: Physical disability is not a requirement
The average age of the Penzbergers is in the “55 plus” range, as Christ says.
The youngest player is 16 years old (he was unable to play in the Bavarian championship), the oldest are 75 and even 80 years old.
According to the rehabilitation sport factor, several players have artificial hip or knee joints and thus keep themselves fit.
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The Corona period meant a major turning point for many rehabilitation sports clubs.
This time eight teams took part in the championship, which was held over two match days (in October in Weiden and now in March in Penzberg).
In the past, says Christ, there were significantly more.
However, some football tennis teams have disbanded during the pandemic.
With two teams at the start at the home tournament: the players of RSV Penzberg (the first team in white) with (from left to right) Norbert König, Andreas Böhm, Andreas Büchner, Werner Richter, Thomas Keller Wolfgang Seitz, Josef Liebwein, (kneeling from left) Sepp Christ, Florian Ludewig and Daniel Hösl.
© Private
The Penzbergers are still there.
And they are in demand as organizers.
The RSV hasn't organized a tournament for a long time because the effort is considerable.
“It just depends on one or two people,” says Christ.
On the most recent association day, the other clubs kneeled at him, and Christ allowed himself to be persuaded.
For the Penzbergers, they say in the scene, the organization is going well, and overnight accommodation is also provided.
“I let myself be persuaded,” says Christ.
It was worth it: “Everything worked out wonderfully.”
Placements:
Final standings of the Bavarian championship: 1. RGSV Moosburg (39 points/+152 balls), 2. BVS Weiden (36/+116), 3. VSG Zirndorf (33/+87), 4. BVS Fürth (24/+ 17), 5. RSV Penzberg (15/-45), 6. BRSV Schönwald (10/-64), 7. TSV Kümmersbruck (10/-123), 8. VSV Straubing (0/-140).
Further information about RSV Penzberg can be found at www.rsvpenzberg-ev.de.