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The curtain closes on a pulsating Bundesliga season, and the stage is set for its grand finale: The Final 6! This weekend, March 23-24, 2024 in Kassel, Germany, the cream of the crop – the six fiercest competitors – clash for the ultimate glory – the title of German Bundesliga Champion. The air crackles with anticipation as the titans clash.<h2>What is German Roundnet 1. Bundesliga?</h2>Readers unfamiliar with Roundnet Germany's (RG) Roundnet League are encouraged to read the following article on <a data-mce-href="https://roundnetgermany.de/deutsche-roundnet-liga/" href="https://roundnetgermany.de/deutsche-roundnet-liga/">RG's website</a>. <a data-mce-href="https://roundnetgermany.de/" href="https://roundnetgermany.de/">RG</a> puts in lots of work in explaining the rules, decisions, or news to their roundnet players. In a nutshell, it is a popular squad competition during the cold winter months in Germany, consisting of at least 4 men and 2 women. Each squad plays two men's, two mixed, and one women's matches against the other squad. How massive?In its fourth edition, German Roundnet League (GRL) 2023/2024 saw 133 registered squads across three main divisions: 1. Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga and Regional League. Yes, I kid you not, 133 squads - I had to use a calculator to count it - (also, I am a P.E. and English teacher, not math😄)- I could not believe it. In total 1830 roundnet players registered for the GRL.&nbsp;Below, you can watch an after-movie from last year’s finals, after you finish reading this article😉.<figure id="figure-h5pbshc4solu2xvksi" class=""><iframe id="h5pbshc4solu2xvksi" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fhLN31qjOWk" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhLN31qjOWk" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fhLN31qjOWk" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure>Now, I shall have your attention. If not, this trophy should do the trick. <figure id="figure-r5p1j1u17blu2xyel9"><img id="r5p1j1u17blu2xyel9" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/bZbfU9nJG5t99Ulse5wMaTiUQ9oWQAM3eSoNXu6zyprc7wFkOu34JPD6iAIKqyZk.jpg" alt="Roundnet League trophy" title="Roundnet League trophy" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 40% 40%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="Trophy worth more than 1500 Euros! 📸 Roundnet Germany / Julian Meusel" data-positionx="40%" data-positiony="40%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/bZbfU9nJG5t99Ulse5wMaTiUQ9oWQAM3eSoNXu6zyprc7wFkOu34JPD6iAIKqyZk.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 40% 40%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Trophy worth more than 1500 Euros! 📸 Roundnet Germany / Julian Meusel</figcaption></figure><h2>Favorites: Berlin, Fisch Pferd Fuchs, and Kassel Racoons</h2><h3>Berlin - Where women's experience meets young guns.</h3>A combination of hungry studs, led by E. Grönebaum, R. Prüfer (known as Willy Wonka), or P. Kanis with experienced women's world vice-champions with team Germany and European Champions N. Haas, K. Dettman has proved to be too hot to handle in the regular season, as Berlin clinched the number one seed. Additionally, L. Washburn from Copenhagen, Denmark, arguably one of the best five women's players currently in Europe, could tip the scales in Berlin's favor.<figure id="figure-aku6clp6lplu2xm0zq"><img id="aku6clp6lplu2xm0zq" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/35eOnA6Gx1GpTRr6V1tj5QHOnyhOcsxRfMayUNhBssVYgjskapz9R21zIQF1gUWn.jpg" alt="roundnet team, women, best players, mallorca" title="roundnet team, women, best players, mallorca" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 40%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="R. Lorenz 🇩🇪 (FPF) poses with her individual teammate L. Washburn🇩🇰 (Berlin)at 3. Mallorca Open. This Saturday, they will be opponents in GRL Final 6. 📸 yellowballcult" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="40%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/35eOnA6Gx1GpTRr6V1tj5QHOnyhOcsxRfMayUNhBssVYgjskapz9R21zIQF1gUWn.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 40%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">R. Lorenz 🇩🇪 (FPF) poses with her individual teammate L. Washburn🇩🇰 (Berlin)at 3. Mallorca Open. This Saturday, they will be opponents in GRL Final 6. 📸 yellowballcult</figcaption></figure><h3>Fisch Pferd Fuchs - the first Roundnet “Galacticos”</h3>Despite some early struggles, Fisch Pferd Fuchs found their stride and climbed to fourth place in the regular season. That means, however, that they will highly likely face Berlin already in the semifinals. This star-studded team features, among many others, the best European women's athletes (L. Kunzelmann, R. Lorenz, and N. Alt from France/Puces&amp;Dives), elite male servers such aj M. Bürkle (winner ETS Vienna '23) and J. Krehle and consistent/artistic Spanish-German/Austrian duo of M. Bermejo Passeti and M. Anderle.<figure id="figure-pmv63dm9eslu2znbon" class=""><img id="pmv63dm9eslu2znbon" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1635710064235-081bb5c7ae77?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxOHx8cmVhbCUyMG1hZHJpZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTExMjkzMDV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" alt="a close up of a soccer jersey with a crown on it" title="a close up of a soccer jersey with a crown on it" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 95%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="Real Madrid C.F. " data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="95%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1635710064235-081bb5c7ae77?crop=entropy&amp;cs=tinysrgb&amp;fit=max&amp;fm=jpg&amp;ixid=M3wyNjI5NjF8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxOHx8cmVhbCUyMG1hZHJpZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTExMjkzMDV8MA&amp;ixlib=rb-4.0.3&amp;q=80&amp;w=1080" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 50% 95%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Real Madrid C.F. </figcaption>However, sports history is filled with stories of star-studded teams such as Real Madrid's “Galacticos” in football, the Russian national ice hockey teams, or the US men's basketball team at the 2004 Olympics which failed to reach their goals, despite their talents.</figure><figure id="figure-qjwm78h1n4lu2zpn24"><iframe id="qjwm78h1n4lu2zpn24" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qI2qlOvgu5I" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI2qlOvgu5I" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qI2qlOvgu5I" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><h3>Kassel Racoons</h3>On the contrary, if we view Fisch Pferd Fuchs as Real Madrid, Kassel Racoons must be the roundnet's Athletico Madrid - fighting spirit, unmatched team chemistry, and unorthodox playing style, led by mixed European Champion <a data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXBdcsBv6XA" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXBdcsBv6XA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">F. Claus</a>, rely on a strong herd mentality. Thanks to their consistent performance during the regular season, Kassel could face one of the two other favorites first in the finals, if they can beat their semifinal opponent, which is not going to be an easy task, no matter the opposition. Nevertheless, with a close score, the home crowd could prove to be the X-factor that pushes Racoons to victory.<figure id="figure-143hobj98rlu2xm275"><img id="143hobj98rlu2xm275" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/25usq9daZRRgZ0WH3MIXAUrcezYP6jAv2N4L3biDBpJVCL62b3Mc1MnLs2FaCUP0.jpg" alt="roundnet players, serving roundnet, spikeball in action" title="roundnet players, serving roundnet, spikeball in action" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="Can F. Claus lead his racoons to the victory? One thing is guaranteed - viewers will see his notorious backhand serve! 📸 yellowballcult" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/25usq9daZRRgZ0WH3MIXAUrcezYP6jAv2N4L3biDBpJVCL62b3Mc1MnLs2FaCUP0.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Can F. Claus lead his racoons to the victory? One thing is guaranteed - viewers will see his notorious backhand serve! 📸 yellowballcult</figcaption></figure><h2>A real-life Galactico in roundnet’s boardroom</h2>P. Kessel, who is an All-Star himself in terms of roundnet development in Europe, a man behind RG’s social media channels shared, what GRL means for Roundnet Germany.<figure id="figure-24jjpcljtlu2yrlpu"><img id="24jjpcljtlu2yrlpu" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/351mdo3gwHNVba3gONNX1rE9Pi0XqNle7i6hwIMeUHFNIswOCSRpgVFCLsuGKIzr.png" alt="roundnet board member" title="roundnet board member" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined% 40%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="P. Kessel, board member of Roundnet Germany e.V. Referent für Marketing und Kommunikation 📸 Roundnet Germany" data-positionx="undefined%" data-positiony="40%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/351mdo3gwHNVba3gONNX1rE9Pi0XqNle7i6hwIMeUHFNIswOCSRpgVFCLsuGKIzr.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined% 40%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">P. Kessel, board member of Roundnet Germany e.V. Referent für Marketing und Kommunikation 📸 Roundnet Germany</figcaption></figure>“The Final 6 is a milestone in the development of Roundnet in Germany. It is the culmination of a league season that has once again surpassed the previous year in terms of size, number of participants, and importance for people. This shows that the system is becoming more and more established and that people are excited about it. The weekend is of course an absolute highlight with the 1st league on Saturday and the 2nd league on Sunday in the same hall. Kassel is putting a lot of work into it - big praise for that! It should be a nice get-together and especially in the 1st league it should also unite some of the best players in Europe.”Naturally, Saturday could be perceived as the main event, but eight teams will fight for three 1. Bundesliga spots on Sunday, which promises another full day of amazing roundnet. So, if you are a roundnet fan living within a reasonable distance from Kassel, you'd better stop by this amazing event to be entertained by world-class roundnet and its amazing people!<h3>Summary:</h3>Event: March 23-24, 2024Location: Damaschkestraße 25a, Kassel, GermanyTeams: Berlin, Roundnet Racoons, Heidelberg, NULL SECHS NEUN Frankfurt, Ravens &amp; Griffins, Fisch Pferd FuchsTickets: &nbsp;freeScores: <a data-mce-href="https://playerzone.roundnetgermany.de/tournaments/274-2024-03-24-deutsche-roundnet-liga-2023-2024-po/schedule/mixed-11432-double-ko-8er" href="https://playerzone.roundnetgermany.de/tournaments/274-2024-03-24-deutsche-roundnet-liga-2023-2024-po/schedule/mixed-11432-double-ko-8er">RG player zone</a>Livestream: <a data-mce-href="https://www.twitch.tv/roundnetgermany" href="https://www.twitch.tv/roundnetgermany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitch</a>More Information:<a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/roundnetgermany/?img_index=1" href="https://www.instagram.com/roundnetgermany/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> RG Instagram</a>

Who Will Be Crowned King? Preview of the German Roundnet League Finals

On the weekend of 2nd and 3rd March 2024, the eyes of the roundnet world were diverted towards a picturesque Spanish island in the Mediterranean - Mallorca, as roundnet players from 21 countries and arguably 5 continents participated in the 3rd Mallorca Open 2024, organized by Ruthless Roundnet.Why arguably 5 continents? Because in the words of Nelson Dziruni, he is a Zimbabwean-Austrian, thus we could count Africa. Moreover, a player from Peru as well as from Taiwan took part in the tournament.To learn more about the tournament and its players, read the <a data-mce-href="https://futureroundnet.org/blog/battle-of-the-continents--a-sneak-peek-into-the-mallorca-open-roundnet-tournament-with-top-european-and-north-american-players" href="https://futureroundnet.org/blog/battle-of-the-continents--a-sneak-peek-into-the-mallorca-open-roundnet-tournament-with-top-european-and-north-american-players">preview</a>. All results, scores, and matchups can be found on the <a data-mce-href="https://clickn.run/en/events/mallorca-open/2024/ranking" href="https://clickn.run/en/events/mallorca-open/2024/ranking">ClicknRun page</a>. To re-live the event, you can watch bracket matches on the <a data-mce-href="https://www.twitch.tv/tops_roundnet" href="https://www.twitch.tv/tops_roundnet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitch channel of Tops Roundnet.</a><h3>Undisputed Queen of Mallorca</h3>Four tournaments - four different partners = four titles. That is the balance of Laura Kunzelmann at Mallorca Opens. This year, she triumphed with her new season partner, Ines Paysan, as team Nova in a dominant fashion. Nova did not drop a single game the entire day and beat the Austrian Tiramisu (Kadlec/Leybourne) 21:17 and 21:18 to secure the title.<figure id="figure-f1em5vhggrltvtmsuk"><img id="f1em5vhggrltvtmsuk" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1bmQlA1Vk8VUcDv7rdSw4Xxg44I39TZDACTD4DBc9HUgWWPXGZEtYCMTfPu39qo1.jpg" alt="Medals in shape of the island" title="Medals in shape of the island" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 70%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="Medals in shape of the island 📸 yellowballcult" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="70%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1bmQlA1Vk8VUcDv7rdSw4Xxg44I39TZDACTD4DBc9HUgWWPXGZEtYCMTfPu39qo1.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 70%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Medals in shape of the island 📸 yellowballcult</figcaption></figure>The following day, Kunzelmann entered the tournament as a favorite, despite a last-minute partner change. Originally, she was supposed to team up with Vincent Mathieu from Canada and only a fool would bet against them. However, Mathieu suffered an ankle injury (a different story 😉) earlier that week, so Josha Lauterbach from Rainbow Warriors jumped in and proved to be a great substitute. Their team, Laurabach, swept their way through coed division, not giving up a single game.<figure id="figure-eg0xghpihjltvt7nl0"><img id="eg0xghpihjltvt7nl0" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38VI0OHTORzbDb3NFLnwoWmS8f3hluJLh4fAK6yA9bAlirr4TkgVo2d24aEFTaYd.jpg" alt="man facing green mountains during daytime" title="man facing green mountains during daytime" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 95%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="L. Kunzelmann 🇨🇭 earns another point for her new team - Nova 📸 yellowballcult" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="95%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38VI0OHTORzbDb3NFLnwoWmS8f3hluJLh4fAK6yA9bAlirr4TkgVo2d24aEFTaYd.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 95%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">L. Kunzelmann 🇨🇭 earns another point for her new team - Nova 📸 yellowballcult</figcaption></figure><h3> Buddy Hammon - the most decorated player in the Mallorca history</h3>Gold Mixed - 2022 (with R. Troughton - UK)Silver Open - 2022 (with C. Rey - France)Gold Open - 2023 ( with R. Kandula - US)Silver Mixed - 2023 (with N. Alt - France)Silver Open - 2024 (with E. Ekman - Sweden)But wait a moment, isn´t Kunzelmann more succesful? No, especially if you include Revol tournament 2024 - Gold with S. Boles &nbsp;<figure id="figure-cbpclqdc6eltvlmp88" class=""><img id="cbpclqdc6eltvlmp88" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38F7w6AFrDffKhoJqOVcYw6htxkQt6U07HBcktvmzrmNlv6onDjCn2b5O2xX2Ko0.jpg" alt="woman placing sticky notes on wall" title="woman placing sticky notes on wall" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 70%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="🥈Dziruni🇦🇹/Marshall🇺🇸, 🏅Hammon/Boles🇺🇸, 🥉Ameziane/Florinda🇫🇷 📸 two_swedes" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="70%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38F7w6AFrDffKhoJqOVcYw6htxkQt6U07HBcktvmzrmNlv6onDjCn2b5O2xX2Ko0.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 70%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">🥈Dziruni🇦🇹/Marshall🇺🇸, 🏅Hammon/Boles🇺🇸, 🥉Ameziane/Florinda🇫🇷 📸 two_swedes</figcaption>Revol tournament will be covered in a separate article.</figure>The California native did not disappoint in his 3rd campaign in the island paradise. Despite being jetlagged after coming straight from California, his team once again performed extraordinarily.Fun fact - all four men´s finalists had to travel combined through 26 time zones to get to Mallorca and thus played with a massive jetlag - Hammon (Los Angeles), Hinkle (Dallas), Model (New York), and Ekman (Indonesia - work trip).<figure id="figure-mj9ylyc3xkltvky6wl"><img id="mj9ylyc3xkltvky6wl" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/ekagTEXruVvkz2DFUqZtIGWQb4LVhwX4cZVyATqyUpmFyhUEKpBGuyzKA7GGrJN7.jpg" alt="roundnet professional athlete" title="roundnet professional athlete" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 35%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="The most decorated roundnet player in Mallorca history, B. Hammon (USA) 📸 two_swedes" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="35%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/ekagTEXruVvkz2DFUqZtIGWQb4LVhwX4cZVyATqyUpmFyhUEKpBGuyzKA7GGrJN7.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 35%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">The most decorated roundnet player in Mallorca history, B. Hammon (USA) 📸 two_swedes</figcaption></figure>It was a stunning final with great serving and defensive gets between favorites Hinkle/Model (USA) and Hammon/Ekman (US/SWE). Just as the tension peaked late in the second set, a shadow was cast when Model suffered an injury to his right arm. Luckily, a lefty himself, Model battled through the pain.<figure id="figure-wc357kne78ltvm2pci" class=""><img id="wc357kne78ltvm2pci" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/16o1tvjZHJOkGB59rza3p7HUwxcyoENxsVfZ0P7KtlkYqP1gyAXoUvPcEKyK3v7K.jpg" alt="two women sitting beside table and talking" title="two women sitting beside table and talking" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="M. Model🇺🇸 flying through the air while hitting a ball in the finals! 📸 yellowballcult" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/16o1tvjZHJOkGB59rza3p7HUwxcyoENxsVfZ0P7KtlkYqP1gyAXoUvPcEKyK3v7K.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">M. Model🇺🇸 flying through the air while hitting a ball in the finals! 📸 yellowballcult </figcaption>His teammate rallied behind him, and they were ultimately able to secure the title despite the scare. In this thrilling three-setter, Hinkle/Model managed to clinch their first Mallorca title after a 21:18, 28:30, and 24:22 victory.</figure><h3>Story of the weekend - The Limping Vinny Mathieu</h3>Unfortunately, not even roundnet stars are invincible and for a while, it seemed that Mallorca folks would miss out on the exciting team of world champion C. Marshall (US) and Canadian star Vinny Mathieu, since the bucket hat-wearing Canadian twisted his ankle a couple of days prior.However, Mathieu did not want to miss out on roundnet action and decided to play through the injury with very limited mobility. This resulted in him receiving serves on the net with body blocks.&nbsp;Is body blocking on serve receiving going to be a new tactic? Let us know at blog@futureroundnet.com or on our Instagram. Just watch their <a data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAUgdzRUNsU" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAUgdzRUNsU">highlight video here.</a><figure id="figure-b3gu7hidv9ltvtgja3"><img id="b3gu7hidv9ltvtgja3" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1fDcrJKugbCllYNmpRjI7CjT2SHUVtUXSmaJxurMXSZrzFhjWMvXQNqHCrAdqPgn.jpg" alt="roundnet serve receive" title="roundnet serve receive" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="V. Mathieu 🇨🇦 receiving serves from S. Baumann 🇩🇪 with a body block! 📸 yellowballcult" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1fDcrJKugbCllYNmpRjI7CjT2SHUVtUXSmaJxurMXSZrzFhjWMvXQNqHCrAdqPgn.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">V. Mathieu 🇨🇦 receiving serves from S. Baumann 🇩🇪 with a body block! 📸 yellowballcult</figcaption></figure><h3>New EURA Pro players</h3>Since the 3rd Mallorca Open was an EURA-sanctioned event (every time since the inception of sanctioned events in Europe), eight players qualified for EURA Pro - women's and open. More information on the qualification requirements can be found on <a data-mce-href="https://www.roundnet.eu/pro2024" href="https://www.roundnet.eu/pro2024">EURA's website</a>.Women's : J. Grob, A. Altenwegner, L. Haas (Germany) and C. Lehner from AustriaOpen: T. Bichler, K. Nerad (Germany) and M. Bermudez with G. Luna from SpainCongratulations!Lastly, thank you to Ruthless Roundnet for organizing the event, our kit manufacturer sponsor Spikeball Inc., the players, the amazing photographers @two_swedes and @yellowballcult, and countless volunteers.¡Hasta el próximo año!&nbsp;

3. Mallorca Open Recap and Highlights

The Battle of the Continents is one of the most anticipated events in the world of roundnet, and this year, the Mallorca Open Roundnet Tournament is set to showcase the skills of top European and North American players. With competitors from both continents going head-to-head, this tournament promises to be a thrilling display of athleticism and strategy.<h2>Tradition is kept alive</h2>For the third time in a row, the roundnet season kicks off with a Mallorca Open, featuring the best European and also North American players across all divisions. Mallorca Open is the icing on the cake of the FRESH training camp, after which players can put the newly learned skill on full display.<h2>Tournament Twists: Familiar Format Gets a Fun 3v3 Sidekick</h2>This year´s tournament´s structure is similar to last year’s, with Saturday being reserved for Open/Women´s and Sunday for Mixed division. Additionally, Sunday will host a 3v3 two-net tournament, which enables players who did not find a mixed partner to hone their skills and stay active. However, the 3v3 event is just “Robin” to the mixed “Batman” 😉. Sign up <a data-mce-href="https://fwango.io/3v3malle" href="https://fwango.io/3v3malle">here</a>.Without any Spikeball Tour Series Major in Europe this year, the 3rd Mallorca Open has the potential of being the most prominent tournament in terms of player quality of the year, only second to the World Championship. Is it an audacious statement? Judge for yourself.<figure id="figure-y3uuhlrr4lt4j8dda"><img id="y3uuhlrr4lt4j8dda" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/7uyO2yREYz7cADuVGBqyRyUi23exU9oZ0wcjAv4VZ2brv0WaZ1d7JkTfQk7ED7TA.jpg" alt="roundnet europe" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="J. Stachiewicz (Poland) strikes the ball towards the American defense of B. Hammon and R. Kandula, later winners. 📸 roundnet.sports.photography" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/7uyO2yREYz7cADuVGBqyRyUi23exU9oZ0wcjAv4VZ2brv0WaZ1d7JkTfQk7ED7TA.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">J. Stachiewicz (Poland) strikes the ball towards the American defense of B. Hammon and R. Kandula, later winners. 📸 roundnet.sports.photography</figcaption></figure><h2>Who can beat the North Americans?</h2>In the first thrilling final, which was decided in the extras of game 3, the young German duo, Kopfmann/Spitznagel, beat the American star B, Hammon, and his French teammate C.Rey in 2022 to keep the trophy in Europe.However, redemption was sweet, as B. Hammon, this time with another American star, R. Kandula, won 2023 against a US/French duo of World Champion C. Marshall and European vice-champion R. Florinda from France.This year, Mallorca open stars five World Champions (fifth being K. Pierson in women´s) and a runner-up of World Championship and STS 23´ Championship Vinny Mathieu from Critical Hit/Canada. So, what are the prominent contenders?<h2>North American Powerhouses</h2>North America has long been a stronghold in the world of roundnet, with some of the most dominant players hailing from the United States and Canada. Known for their powerful serves, quick reflexes, and strategic gameplay, North American players bring a fierce competitive spirit to the tournament.(Mathieu/Marshall) Canada/US. Arguably the best setter in the game, C. Marshall is pairing up with one of the world´s best servers, V. Mathieu from Canada. Mathieu is capable of going on a serving spree at any point of the game, making 5-6 points easily, especially if provoked. Just ask the Hustling Brothers in Gent ´22 or Vandaele/Ameziane at ETS Stockholm. However, Mathieu, who is also one of the coaches at the FRESH 24 training camp, was not able to win any of the three tournaments he played in Europe in 2023. Can he break the curse?<figure id="figure-da2y84o4aplt67jauy"><img id="da2y84o4aplt67jauy" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/34hn1EMXpbEiHDnNrUXJdsUVunW3dweXQieVpNJx0QP5tQmsGTJBuCoM8Zx2Fiwo.jpg" alt="woman sitting around table holding tablet" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 50%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="C. Marshall (US), World Champion 2022 📸 roundnet.sports.photography" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="50%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/34hn1EMXpbEiHDnNrUXJdsUVunW3dweXQieVpNJx0QP5tQmsGTJBuCoM8Zx2Fiwo.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% 50%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">C. Marshall (US), World Champion 2022 📸 roundnet.sports.photography</figcaption></figure>Fred/Max (Hinkle/Model M.) are an American duo and World Champions. Hinkle is a household name worldwide, growing in popularity in Europe, especially since he made three trips to Europe last season, winning ETS Vienna with Bürkle (Germany), while completely jetlagged, since he flew from Dallas to Vienna just for about 30 hours. Hinkle/Model did not reach a podium at their last tournament together - USAR Nationals, so, they shall be hungry for the title.Slipping in last minute, we have the Swede California (pronounced “sweet” - all naming rights reserved to Jakub) couple of B. Hammon and E. Ekman. Ekman known for his serves, won a prestigious European Indoor Masters in Prague on December 23 with J. Stachiewicz (Never Cold), as he showcased an amazing all-around game as well. Hammon´s playing IQ and defensive skills combined with Ekman´s serve pressure can go a long way.<h2>Continental Defense: Can Europe Hold the Line on Home Soil?</h2>German unorthodox duo called Rainbow Warriors (Claus/Lauterbach) might be Europe´s biggest hope. Their team chemistry is unparalleled and they have an arsenal of weapons, which will catch opponents off guard, especially if you are playing against them the first time - just ask Hilltop Spike at STS Major in Toulouse. It will be the first time the world will see this team wearing matching jerseys, which is a reason enough to watch the stream!😆<figure id="figure-ydh54rhx4nlt4j8e3u" class=""><img id="ydh54rhx4nlt4j8e3u" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2bSKvKZO4YJAmx6eGMugwfP9CthTS3Fsy4ucDtk6hWPa85hRKDSXvQza48wCGUMS.jpg" alt="F. Claus clinches his fist in celebration of a point." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: 40% 55%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="1:1" data-caption="F. Claus clinches his fist in celebration of a point, while his partner, J. Lauterbach yells in joy! 📸roundnet.sports.photography" data-positionx="40%" data-positiony="55%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2bSKvKZO4YJAmx6eGMugwfP9CthTS3Fsy4ucDtk6hWPa85hRKDSXvQza48wCGUMS.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: 40% 55%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">F. Claus clinches his fist in celebration of a point, while his partner, J. Lauterbach yells in joy! 📸roundnet.sports.photography</figcaption></figure>Moreover, if you mash up a team consisting of Europe´s best server (L. Vandaele - Belgium) and European Champion L. Eisenträger (E/S, Germany), only magic can happen. &nbsp;But can they cast the right spells at the right time?Lastly, spectators will have an opportunity to experience a match made in roundnet heaven, a French-German mash-up team of Florinda/Krehle. Krehle is coming off a meteoric 2023 season, winning multiple tournaments, crowned by the European Squad Championship with team Germany. However, he has never made it to the top 4 at the ETS event, something that cannot be further from the truth about R. Florinda. Big serves, amazing defense and plenty of fair play are more than guaranteed when watching this team!<h2>Dark Horses</h2>Future Combat Boys (Anderle/Dziruni) are two long-time friends from Graz Austria. Known for their defense and players’ IQ, this team can shock any of the favorites.Blue Horse (Ameziane/Vandaele Y. - France/Belgium) is another combination of successful seasoned veterans of the European roundnet. They may have their best years behind them but it would be foolish to write them off.All in all, the 3rd Mallorca Open is promising to be an amazing contest. You can follow the event on the tournament page and live on Tops Roundnet Twitch channel - for a detailed schedule, please check Instagram @future_roundnet as we come closer to the event.<h2>Don't Miss Out!</h2>You can follow the action on the <a data-mce-href="https://clickn.run/en/events/mallorca-open/2024/tournament" href="https://clickn.run/en/events/mallorca-open/2024/tournament">tournament website</a> and also on Twitch channel of <a data-mce-href="https://www.twitch.tv/tops_roundnet" href="https://www.twitch.tv/tops_roundnet">Tops Roundnet</a>. The groups of men's pro are already online. Seeding was done by European Roundnet Federation (EURA) based on last year's results.It will be the last stream of Tops Roundnet in his career, so make sure you will catch it. It will start at 11:00 a.m. with group coverage and go all the way to the end. for a detailed schedule, please check Instagram @future_roundnet as we come closer to the event.&nbsp;¡Hasta luego!<figure id="figure-bxtikrj3zblt4j8g6b" class=""><img id="bxtikrj3zblt4j8g6b" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2FMNqXZ2hcOGnRXxvgkV6eKhB3dU52UbtnOYv7EgxKOv8GsYiBaSpAE3dieLTP5l.jpg" alt="roundnet tournament" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="T. Pschaid a.k.a. Tops Roundnet (left) will stream the event. 📸 roundnet.sports.photography" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2FMNqXZ2hcOGnRXxvgkV6eKhB3dU52UbtnOYv7EgxKOv8GsYiBaSpAE3dieLTP5l.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">T. Pschaid a.k.a. Tops Roundnet (left) will stream the event. 📸 roundnet.sports.photography</figcaption></figure>

Battle of the Continents: A Sneak Peek into the Mallorca Open Roundnet Tournament with Top European and North American Players

written by <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/ben_roundnet/" href="https://www.instagram.com/ben_roundnet/">B. Dantowitz</a>, 📸 by amazing <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowballcult/" href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowballcult/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corentin</a> a.k.a. <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowballcult/" href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowballcult/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yellowballcult</a> on Instagram, follow <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowballcult/" href="https://www.instagram.com/yellowballcult/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">him</a>!<h2>The Excitement of US Roundnet Nationals</h2>For the first time ever, on 11th-12th November 2023 in Tampa, Florida, a <a href="https://fwango.io/usar2023nationals" data-mce-href="https://fwango.io/usar2023nationals">USA Roundnet National Championship</a> is being run by the roundnet community. It’s not a history lesson we can fully explore today, but it is notable that the Spikeball Tour Series and the US National Championship are no longer coinciding events. This weekend marks an important milestone for not only growth of roundnet but also organization and collective sport building in the US, with the National Championship rounding out a year with approximately 33 total sanctioned events (<a href="https://fwango.io/usar/tournaments" data-mce-href="https://fwango.io/usar/tournaments">source: USAR fwango</a>).<figure id="figure-0qtylf857glot4u7sc"><img id="0qtylf857glot4u7sc" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2hNmjI1NTmBvElbK3aFzKL6k6t9IXyTadtgkELqhuc3qtTPy69tdLhFh2v9V9O9J.jpg" alt="Will T. Hamilton smile after the weekend?" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="Will T. Hamilton smile after the weekend?" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2hNmjI1NTmBvElbK3aFzKL6k6t9IXyTadtgkELqhuc3qtTPy69tdLhFh2v9V9O9J.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Will T. Hamilton smile after the weekend?</figcaption></figure><h3>What's at stake?</h3>As for the competition itself, the stakes are massive. In addition to $2500 in the event purse, the Women’s and Men’s National Champions will earn spots on Team USA for Worlds in 2024. And while Twinz initially planned to defend their national title, a late injury for Olivia Jenki means we will witness a new Men’s and Women’s National Champion (Assistive Touch did not plan a title defense). This is particularly notable in women’s roundnet, where only 6 women have ever been named US National Champions, while the men’s division winners list is also quite short; with repeats (Chico 2014-2015) and three-peats (Cisek/Showlater 2017-2019), meaning only 12 men holding that title in the past 8* years.*8 years is inclusive of 2014-2022 excluding 2020, where no formal National Championship was recognized despite <a data-mce-href="https://www.utahroundnet.com/" href="https://www.utahroundnet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Utah Roundnet</a> hosting a similar event in 2020.<figure id="figure-2qh5ge1wnlot4mokj"><img id="2qh5ge1wnlot4mokj" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1eKgUz1jR8v0CDM1AkD9XlaKDnVZBTeS26OZkB0MtepkD5QYNAxfSLGIRsbATsrh.jpg" alt="L. Washburn representing Denmark at the last World Championship. If she qualifies for the Team USA, where would she play?" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="L. Washburn representing Denmark at the last World Championship. If she qualifies for the Team USA, where would she play?" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1eKgUz1jR8v0CDM1AkD9XlaKDnVZBTeS26OZkB0MtepkD5QYNAxfSLGIRsbATsrh.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">L. Washburn representing Denmark at the last World Championship. If she qualifies for the Team USA, where would she play?</figcaption></figure><h3>Men's Division</h3>I see man’s division as the chalkier and less-compelling depth of teams. Due to Rogue’s unfortunate withdrawal (Marino injury), it is fascinating to see many unfamiliar pairings as the top seeds. Finocchi/Picone and Abrams/Hamilton come in as mash-ups yet also top seeds, while three-seed Gross/Shaytar have some chemistry from their time playing with and against each other locally in Rochester, NY. Further down the board, perhaps the most familiar pairing of all is Bot House (Lippman/Peterson), who most recently knocked <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/eisentraegersiemer_roundnet/" href="https://www.instagram.com/eisentraegersiemer_roundnet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eisensträger/Siemer</a>﻿ out of the Spikeball Tour Series Championship. For a division littered with fresher pairings, we’ll see their chemistry go heads up with the very top talent in the US. Also fighting in the camp on “Team Chemistry” are contenders Low Key (Church/Morgan), Lazy (Larson/Marshall), and BorderLine (Thompson/Wagner), all of whom have played upwards of a full year together. The last footnote I’ll add about mashup opportunities is Not TBD (Cummings/Fragiacomo) and Backpaqed (Clifford/Rose) will face off in the last pool as the 8 and 9 seeds. If this matchup goes 2-0 either way, it should earn them a great bracket draw to reach the semis and even podium.With how much more parity we’ve seen in roundnet this year, I would not be shocked by some seeded upsets. Whether they happen in the morning or in a late bracket match is anyone’s guess.<figure id="figure-4eq1z41f4flot4i1y2"><img id="4eq1z41f4flot4i1y2" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/28lh25Qrbn498hPwhWt9UI6wQLiizauhST5ZI3nkgxnapNXSXv2Mg3KVK8oDGy71.jpg" alt="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="Who will become the US National Champion? Team USA celebrating the World Championship in '22." data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/28lh25Qrbn498hPwhWt9UI6wQLiizauhST5ZI3nkgxnapNXSXv2Mg3KVK8oDGy71.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Who will become the US National Champion? Team USA celebrating the World Championship in '22.</figcaption></figure><h3 class="p1">Women’s Division</h3>Twinz had the misfortune of dropping due to injury. Now without a juggernaut favorite in the division, the uber talented women’s field may be the most compelling US-only tournament in many years (for long-time roundnet fans, let me know what other tournament comes to mind). In a division with very few familiar pairings, save the reunion episode of the legendary THUS Parabatai (Morgan/Wu) and continuation of Veggie Tales (Foster/Patel), I see this division boiling down to a battle of the East and West for WR. For the East, we have Jenki/Phan, Chocolate Outrage (Allen/Ding), Pierson/Washburn*, as well as Foster of Veggie Tales. THUS is repping the West along with in Anderson/Savage, Gahley/Sato, and part of J$ (Nguyen of California). Ultimately, any of the above teams could carve a path to the middle of the podium, and I am eager to watch as one manages to navigate this dense talent pool to earn a spot on Team USA.*Washburn is a former FL native who has spent much of this season playing in Europe, so saying she is repping the East also refers to her repping east of the Atlantic. EDIT: to see how “European” <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/louwashburn/" href="https://www.instagram.com/louwashburn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lou</a> have become, check out this screenshot from an American roundnet discord server. We at Future Roundnet love our Lou.<figure id="figure-oduzxhcsz6lot25sk0"><img id="oduzxhcsz6lot25sk0" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/9mFJAe8JEBWbplcyqXkqHXIiTndrUsa8byEC8pKYaQiaR2u3XRm0fweCw5guWYdK.png" alt="spikeball final match" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="1:1" data-caption="" data-positionx="null" data-positiony="null" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/9mFJAe8JEBWbplcyqXkqHXIiTndrUsa8byEC8pKYaQiaR2u3XRm0fweCw5guWYdK.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>Mixed Division</h3>	For Sunday, the Mixed Division will crown yet another National Champion. While the top seed in Duos will be dropping due to Marino’s absence, there is still a lot of talent — just not the traditional American mixed talent we’ve grown accustomed to having seen lots of mixed roundnet at the Spikeball Tour Series this year. Perhaps the two most credentialed mixed players in the field are Sarah Allen (STS Champion 2023) and Ryan Gross (Mixed World Champion 2022), but neither is playing with their usual teammate (Finocchi / Hui, respectively). What’s more, we’re missing mixed fixtures including Olivia Jenki, Ali Jenki, Katie Pierson, Will Picone, Rahul Murthy, and Joe Bondi… that is to say, similar to the men’s podium, the mixed podium will feature many new faces.<h3>10 Years of Roundnet in the US</h3>For a sport nearing in its 10th year of consistent tournament play in the US, it’s refreshing to witness more and more firsts, and on a personal note, I’m really grateful that our USA Roundnet community continues to grow not only in quality and quantity, but also in connectivity — something that is particularly challenging to manage for a larger country and with limited resources. I am excited about what’s to come for this National Championship and the continued progress for our national roundnet community.<h3 class="p1">Where to follow the event?</h3>To follow the event, keep up with live scores <a data-mce-href="https://fwango.io/usar2023nationals" href="https://fwango.io/usar2023nationals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> and live Instagram Updates <a href="https://www.instagram.com/usa_roundnet/" data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/usa_roundnet/">@USA_Roundnet.﻿</a>Live streams will be on Twitch Streams by <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/burrows8" data-mce-href="https://www.twitch.tv/burrows8">Matt Burrows</a> and <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/bdantowitz" data-mce-href="https://www.twitch.tv/bdantowitz">Ben Dantowitz.</a>Post-Production of finals matches will be on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theroundnetwork" data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/@theroundnetwork">Roundnetwork’s YouTube.</a><h3 class="p1">Predictions</h3><ol class="ol1"><li class="li1">Everyone has an awesome weekend of warm, sunny roundnet</li><li class="li1">Players do an excellent job reporting scores and starting matches in a timely fashion</li><li class="li1">Self-officiating disputes are handled with cool heads and in a constructive manner</li></ol>Note: If you’re wondering why I hesitate to give a formal prediction, it’s because I am personally helping run the tournament tomorrow as a volunteer with USAR. Thanks to support from our co-hosts FL Roundnet, I may be able to help observe some of the later matches in the day. Even though I’m not betting on any matches, I do not want even a fun little prediction to impact how my impartiality as an observer could be perceived.________________Ben Dantowitz volunteers on the Board of Directors for USA Roundnet. To contact Ben, reach out to his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ben_roundnet/" data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/ben_roundnet/">personal instagram</a>.If you have any questions, comments or just want to give us feedback, you can reach us per email: <a data-mce-href="https://futureroundnet.org/" href="https://futureroundnet.org/">blog@futureroundnet.com</a>To stay up to date, make sure to follow Future Roundnet on <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/future_roundnet/" href="https://www.instagram.com/future_roundnet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and subscribe to our <a data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/@future_roundnet" href="https://www.youtube.com/@future_roundnet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Youtube channel.</a>

US Nationals Preview

<h2 class="p1">„WISSEN TEILEN IST DER SCHLÜSSEL ZUM ERFOLG“&nbsp;</h2>geschrieben von L. Tapken und C. MarquartIn Weidenhausen (Deutschland) hat vom 05.10.23 bis zum 08.10.23 die zweite Auflage des Trainier*innen Camps stattgefunden. In einem Mix aus Theorie und Praxis des Roundnetsports wurden 80 Trainer*innen aus über 40 verschiedenen Communitys ausgebildet. Federführend wurde die Ausbildung vom <a data-mce-href="https://roundnetgermany.de/" href="https://roundnetgermany.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roundnet Germany</a> Leistungssport Referat organisiert. <h3 class="p1">Standort</h3>Die Bildungs- und Freizeitstätte Weidenhausen bot mit 10 kleinen Hütten, einem Seminar- und Speisesaal die ideale Grundlage der Ausbildung. Nicht zu vergessen der lokale Fußballverein, der seinen direkt angrenzenden Kunstrasenplatz zur Verfügung stellte. Damit war alles bereit für den Start in ein lehrreiches Wochenende.<figure id="figure-bgxgk5dri5loikbe7x"><img id="bgxgk5dri5loikbe7x" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/30KRdhCFnelZ328vebkFYNExSPonBvqdOccGoKLbMJsP7zb058fzYAEbyYqL6J2i.jpg" alt="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 95% undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="Coole Hoodie 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V." data-positionx="95%" data-positiony="undefined" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/30KRdhCFnelZ328vebkFYNExSPonBvqdOccGoKLbMJsP7zb058fzYAEbyYqL6J2i.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 95% undefined;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Coole Hoodie 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V.</figcaption></figure>Den Start des Camps machte am Donnerstagabend ein Kennenlernabend mit spaßigen Spielen, die die Teilnehmer*innen in ihren Häusergruppen bestritten. Am Freitag begannen dann die Inhalte, die sich bis zum Sonntagmorgen erstreckten. Diese wurden von einem Ausbilder*innenteam angeleitet, das sich aus einigen deutschen Profi-Spieler*innen zusammensetzte, die die Trainier*innen in folgenden Aspekten ausbildeten:<h3 class="p2">Trainingsplanung</h3>In der theoretischen Einheit zur Trainingsplanung, welche unsere <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/future_roundnet/" href="https://www.instagram.com/future_roundnet/" title="Future Roundnet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Future Athleten</a> Caro und Lukas durchführten, wurde über das Trainieren der unterschiedlichen Phasen/ Level der Spieler*innen gesprochen. Somit wurde folgende Frage beantwortet: Wer sollte was in welchem Level wie lernen? Den Trainier*innen wurden anschließend Prinzipen der Trainingsplanung an die Hand gegeben, womit sie ihr Training besser vorbereiten können. Dazu zählte auch ein Trainingstool zum schriftlichen Vorbereiten und Planen der Einheiten.<figure id="figure-lpkz4izixoloijygfp"><img id="lpkz4izixoloijygfp" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/33lZfhvUSIGgsFpYjRiQhp8uDjddA1bDxGnqzQVhUBEviwkoBpFDVHiw6PC1Brj9.jpg" alt="L. Tapken zeigt eine Übung zum Ballgefühl 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="L. Tapken zeigt eine Übung zum Ballgefühl 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V." data-positionx="100%" data-positiony="undefined" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/33lZfhvUSIGgsFpYjRiQhp8uDjddA1bDxGnqzQVhUBEviwkoBpFDVHiw6PC1Brj9.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% undefined;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">L. Tapken zeigt eine Übung zum Ballgefühl 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V.</figcaption></figure>Im zweiten Teil des Vortrags wurde die Anleitung eines Trainings thematisiert. Es wurden die Fähigkeiten, die man als Trainer*in mitbringen und stetig schulen sollte besprochen, sowie die richtige Anleitung des Trainings auf dem Platz. Hierfür nahmen die Teilnehmer*innen an einem Demo-Training teil, wo die Ausbilder*innen in der Praxis aufzeigten, was eine richtige Ansprache vor der Gruppe, eine richtige Erklärung und Demonstration von Übungen und Spielformen, sowie das aktive Coaching während des Trainings ausmacht.Im Techniktraining wurden die einzelnen Techniken des Roundnetsports behandelt. Den auszubildenden Trainier*innen wurde Fachwissen zur Ausführung, sowie die methodisch richtige Abfolge zum Erlernen dieser vermittelt. Dazu wurden einige Übungen und Spielformen in der Praxis durchgeführt, um verschiedene Möglichkeiten zum zielführenden Erlernen von Techniken auszuprobieren. Behandelt wurden alle Basistechniken, wie das Schlagen, Zuspielen, Aufschlagen und Annehmen.Ergänzend dazu wurden Offensive und Defensive trainiert. Hier legten die Ausbilder auch Taktiken des Roundnets da.<h3 class="p2">Nicht nur Roundnet Theorie</h3>Auch Fitness, Koordination und Verletzungsprävention fanden an diesem Wochenende ihren Platz. Die Trainier*innen nahmen an Kräftigungsübungen, Schulungen der koordinativen Fähigkeiten und verletzungsvorbeugenden Routinen teil. Abgeschlossen wurden die Inhalte mit Spielformen im Roundnet und kleinen Fun-Games. Über das verlängerte Wochenende wurde somit das Fachwissen der Trainer*innen auf ein nächstes Level gehoben, damit sie dies in ihren Communitys an andere weitergeben können.Wenn Du mehr zu diesem Thema erfahren magst, schau Dir diese Future Roundnet Videopodcast Folge mit dem <a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/roundnetphysio/" href="https://www.instagram.com/roundnetphysio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roundnet Physio</a>, Etienne Prison, an. Um es für die einfacher zu machen, haben wir das Video auf Abschnitte aufgeteilt (<a data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1DewKlemeA" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1DewKlemeA" title="Roundnet Physio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Youtube Beschreibung</a>).<figure id="figure-sxy4duzdboloik81le"><iframe id="sxy4duzdboloik81le" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G1DewKlemeA" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://youtu.be/G1DewKlemeA" data-corners="default" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G1DewKlemeA" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><h3 class="p5">Diversität und Integration</h3>Neben den Inhalten hatten auch zwei Referate von Roundnet Germany die Möglichkeit sich vorzustellen. In einem anregenden Vortrag hat das Referat Diversität und Integration auf sich aufmerksam machen können und viele interessante Diskussionen hervorgerufen. Zudem konnten die Teilnehmer*innen mit dem Referat Schule Ideen zum Trainieren mit Kindern und Jugendlichen sammeln und ausprobieren.<figure id="figure-krgtcijfssloik78eo"><img id="krgtcijfssloik78eo" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/28XZ7mpjLULifd9jsNu6Cc5gSYGibuORuwXsnT69pJd5Rvy860XAmDAcudCIDll7.jpg" alt="Glückliche Menschen 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="Glückliche Menschen 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V." data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/28XZ7mpjLULifd9jsNu6Cc5gSYGibuORuwXsnT69pJd5Rvy860XAmDAcudCIDll7.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined undefined;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">Glückliche Menschen 📸 Roundnet Germany e.V.</figcaption></figure><h3 class="p3">Fazit</h3>Am Ende erhielten die Teilnehmer*innen ein wohlverdientes Roundnettrainer-Zertifikat vom deutschen Roundnet Verband. Ein langes Wochenende über wurden neben all dem Wissen neue Freundschaften geknüpft, gemeinsam lecker gekocht, Gesellschaftsspiele gespielt und am Samstagabend auch noch gefeiert. Zusammengefasst war das Camp ein großer Erfolg, bei dem die Pickups am Sonntag noch bis in den Nachmittag andauerten.

Roundnet Germany Trainer Camp '23 (GERMAN)

Written by Clément Martin-G or "French Coach Clement." Complete results can be found <a data-mce-href="https://clickn.run/en/events/championnat-de-france-de-roundnet-toulou/cdftls23/ranking" href="https://clickn.run/en/events/championnat-de-france-de-roundnet-toulou/cdftls23/ranking" title="complete results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.<h3 class="p1">French Nationals 2023</h3>On the weekend of October 14th 2023, Toulouse hosted the 3rd edition of the French Roundnet Championships. The very first with the now iconic Baguette division (highest division), bringing together la crème de la crème of French players. The blue-white-red curtain fell on the richest French season in its history, in terms of intensity, structure, passion and excitement. The players had the opportunity to compete throughout the season in Rennes, Paris, Nantes, Montpellier, Lyon and Grenoble, not forgetting the very first French club championships in Clermont, and the Euros in Padova with a beautiful 3rd place in Squads. But for these players who found themselves playing together under the same jersey, it was time to get down to business, and face each other one last time in 2023.<h3 class="p1">Mens division, storyline &amp; results</h3>Among the top teams going in for the kill we had:<ul class="ul1"><li class="li3">Pour Combien (Florinda/Ameziane), two-time defending champions and logical favorites for the title. Although they have played less together in France this season, they have had the opportunity to shine on numerous occasions in Europe.</li><li class="li3">Hors Services (Lacombe/Caux-Ramon), made up of the formidable defenders Hugo and Samy, who have put in some fine performances in ETS this season.</li></ul>Furthermore, Krackoukass (Jouve L./Clark), Backspikers (Snoeck/Mareschal), or Pierre Feuille Victor (Cambois/Lecrosnier), were determined to play the role of troublemakers. After a thrilling semi-final, with Pour Combien&nbsp;narrowly beating the Backspikers in a historic first set 48-46, we find ourselves in the eagerly-awaited final between the two best French teams of the moment: Pour Combien (Florinda/Ameziane) versus Hors Services (Lacombe/Caux-Ramon).At the end of an epic match, and against all expectations, it was Lacombe's and Caux/Ramon's dazzling defensive performance that overcame Pour Combien 's strike force, with a series of acrobatic touches that delighted the crowd in Toulouse.Defeated on home soil by a French team for the first time in 2 years, the team in the purple jersey fell from their throne. But there's no doubt they'll be back stronger than ever.<figure id="figure-4sc0qbu7plo78gw1t"><img id="4sc0qbu7plo78gw1t" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/eKjj0Bf1ybrWInze8bS7NI3dDLFgWzPHNnhP804xOnTZrDe3tSYbghji3or8izmc.jpg" alt="french roundnet champions 2023 From Left: Pour Combien, Hors Services, Krackoukass" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined 40%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="From Left: Pour Combien, Hors Services, Krackoukass 📸 Quentin Vidalot" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="40%" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/eKjj0Bf1ybrWInze8bS7NI3dDLFgWzPHNnhP804xOnTZrDe3tSYbghji3or8izmc.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined 40%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">From Left: Pour Combien, Hors Services, Krackoukass 📸 Quentin Vidalot</figcaption></figure><h3 class="p1">Women division, storyline &amp; results</h3>On the women's side, the scene was quite similar. The Puces&amp;Dives (Alt/Paysan), two-time defending champions and overwhelming favorites for the treble, were on familiar ground. But a number of players, whose progress has been steady if not exponential, were keen to upset the odds:Who let the dwarfs out? (Martinez/Lemaire) and Les clutchouilles (Joly/ Thomasson)&nbsp;as well as two strong teams from Clermont were there to challenge the supremacy of the Puces. But more than any of the others, it was undoubtedly Badnet (Duport/Vanangamoudiar),&nbsp;who was the most likely to give them a hard time. The Puces, physically and mentally stronger, in a closely-fought final were able to hold on to their advantage and sign a resounding hat-trick of victories.<figure id="figure-qiob7kjyzlo78ielt"><img id="qiob7kjyzlo78ielt" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/etTUoHcQJ1nqSkPSVYdwdQ0xc6TyxBo7fCZl6MysJXRi0ULDmyx9kYrtgU6nhdU2.jpg" alt="french roundnet national championship 2023, From Left: Badnet, Puces&amp;Dives, Clermound-Nenettes 📸Quentin Vidalot" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="From Left: Badnet, Puces&amp;Dives, Clermound-Nenettes 📸Quentin Vidalot" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/etTUoHcQJ1nqSkPSVYdwdQ0xc6TyxBo7fCZl6MysJXRi0ULDmyx9kYrtgU6nhdU2.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined undefined;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">From Left: Badnet, Puces&amp;Dives, Clermound-Nenettes 📸Quentin Vidalot</figcaption></figure><h3 class="p3">Mixed results</h3>In the mixed category, the final featured a classic among classics: Backflick (Paysan/Florinda) versus (De) NaDa (Alt/Ameziane). But the name change didn't pay off for Alt and Ameziane, and it was Paysan and Florinda who in the end came out on top, and claimed back their title. <figure id="figure-tdzzmu26s8lo78j1ue"><img id="tdzzmu26s8lo78j1ue" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1SIdbaJYu7mSthRvstgI7gBB6XaMHGGVezfLWRGb79XSaCgFgInFoTuCShATT0Id.jpg" alt="mixed roundnet championship 2023 french, winners, From Left> (De) NaDa, Backflick, Roundnet Toulyon 📸Quentin Vidalot" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined 45%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="From Left: (De) NaDa, Backflick, Roundnet Toulyon 📸Quentin Vidalot" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="45%" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1SIdbaJYu7mSthRvstgI7gBB6XaMHGGVezfLWRGb79XSaCgFgInFoTuCShATT0Id.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: undefined 45%;"><figcaption class="body-normal text-gray-500 mt-2">From Left: (De) NaDa, Backflick, Roundnet Toulyon 📸Quentin Vidalot</figcaption></figure><h3 class="p3">Conclusion</h3>A fierce competition, really close games, a big upset, a fantastic scene… French nationals didn’t disappoint this year. As players will round off the season with a costumed tournament in Mulhouse, we are already looking for the next one!

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