Who is crazy enough to try and catch a ball on a broom? Who voluntarily runs after a plastic disc? The answer: quite a few. They enjoy a sport beyond the football league – on the lawn, under water, in the air.
The whole world knows that there are a lot of football and handball fans in Germany. But that's not all. We present some unconventional and perhaps therefore very popular sports – our selection from a colourful range of other disciplines offered by clubs, groups of friends, adult education centres and university sports clubs that fill gyms, pitches and other sports fields all year round.Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate Frisbee combines elements of various sports such as football, basketball and American football. A frisbee is used as the playing tool in this non-contact team game. The aim is to catch the frisbee disc in the opponent's end zone. Particularly important: the "spirit of the game". This means that fairness and sportsmanship take centre stage. In Germany, a lively ultimate community has developed, particularly at universities, which organises both recreational and competitive games.
A lot of physical effort in the battle for the plastic disc | Photo (detail): picture alliance / foto2press | Oliver Zimmermann
Bierball (Flunkyball)
Drinking beer is permitted in Germany after the age of 16. Newfound freedom is often combined with youthful exuberance. Beer ball – also known as flunkyball – gets played. The drinking game is simple: two teams stand opposite each other with a bottle in the centre. Now the players have to knock the bottle over with a ball. If one team succeeds, they can drink until the bottle is put back in place. Throwing skills are required, as well as drinking strength and a good team spirit. Despite its uncomplicated rules and humorous nature, beer ball is a serious matter for many: all too often, people cheat.
Shortly before the bottle throw – Flunkyball | Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa | Hauke-Christian Dittrich
UNDERWATER RUGBY
Since the 1960s, German swimming pools have been the setting for a dynamic sport: underwater rugby. A three-dimensional game, adopted by diving clubs worldwide. Two teams try to sink a ball filled with salt water into the opponent's basket. The players wear snorkels, fins and diving goggles to keep them mobile underwater. Those who take part need stamina and strategic thinking. The game takes place both above and below the surface of the water.
The ball has to go in the basket – even under water | Photo (detail): © picture alliance/KEYSTONE | PHILIPP SCHMIDLI
Gliding
People who are enthusiastic about this aerial sport also train their knowledge of scientific phenomena such as thermals and meteorology and improve their concentration. Gliding means staying in the air for hours on end in motorless aeroplanes and covering long distances “soaring” calmly. Germany is ideal for this sport, as it offers miles of flat land as well as many airfields and training centres.
From the highest glider airfield in the Rhön, it goes even higher – into the air | Photo (Detail): © picture alliance/dpa | Andreas Arnold
Quidditch
Anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films will also be familiar with Quidditch. Inspired by the global bestseller, the competition devised by author Joanne K. Rowling has developed over the years into a real sport that is played by many enthusiasts around the world. There is now also a fairly active Quidditch community in Germany, which regularly organises tournaments and training sessions. The game takes place on a rectangular pitch and combines elements of rugby, dodgeball and handball. As the players, unlike in the novels, are naturally unable to fly, they move around with a kind of broom between their legs, which gives the game a really silly character. The players take on different positions such as hunter, guardian, driver and seeker, each requiring different skills.
Quidditch requires all kinds of equipment | Photo (detail): © picture alliance / foto2press | Oliver Zimmermann
August 2024