Coaching the Hornets

Little League Baseball in Bad Homburg

I've kept busy here in Germany, and I would like to write a little bit about one of my favorite experiences so far. Luke Judson at nine years of age is the oldest kid in my host family, and he rivals my brother Sam as the family's walking sports encyclopedia. Baseball and soccer are his specialties, although he can whip off players on any team in any sport. In terms of his own athletics, baseball was the route he decided to take. 

America's favorite pastime doesn't quite translate into popularity in a total soccer country (See "Soccer Manifesto, Part 2"), but Bad Homburg is privileged to have an established baseball program and quality fields. The Hornets feature youth baseball and softball teams all the way up through a mens team that competes nationally. Finding the right competition for the youth teams isn't always easy, with few programs in the Hessen state and fewer baseball facilities. 

A day after arriving, I took Luke to practice and met his coach, Marty. Marty is an American who has lived in Germany for two decades. He started the Bad Homburg Hornets Little League team when his son was of age and has coached ever since. In fifteen years he has won four Hessen Championships, one National Championship, and been the National Runner-Up twice. He encouraged me to come out and help with practices, and he explained that most of the assistant coaches were temporary ex-Pats who didn't speak any German. 

The concession stand--slightly healthier than those in America.

I showed up for the next practice, picked up a glove from the team bag, and started throwing with a ten-year-old German boy. I soon learned that the team was made up of an interesting mix of German and American kids, and that they had plenty of talent. Joey, the best pitcher, would be an ace in Williamstown's Cal Ripken League, and the best hitter, Demetrio, is a far slugger than I was at age twelve. While they lacked some of the fundamentals and baseball knowledge that come from playing and watching the game in America, Marty and the coaches were doing their best to teach them. The other coaches were: John, from Springfield, MA; Kevin from Texas; and John, a recent graduate of Columbia who is touring the world playing ball for semi-pro men's teams. I always enjoyed seeing the first John's Boston and New England clothing.

With a record of 18-2--the top seed in the Hessen Championships--the Hornets had two weeks before the big games when I arrived. I picked up a few baseball phrases in German, but mostly I spoke English to the German kids and used a lot of hand and body gestures. Four kids were American, so coaching them was no problem.

The Hornets' full sized diamond. For the Hessen Championship the bases were moved to 

Little League dimensions and a pitching rubber was placed on the grass in front of the mound. 

The outfielders stood on the edge of the big field's infield dirt.

The whole program helped to prepare for hosting the tournament. The big diamond transformed into a field fit for Little League; we moved the bases in, created a new pitching rubber, staked a temporary fence, and constructed a backstop that was much closer than the main fence. The kids loved that they were using the real dugouts and that their parents could sit right behind home plate to watch. 

After cruising to the finals, the Hornets faced Dreieich--who was no match for Bad Homburg until they acquired three Japanese players late in the season. Marty accused them of being unethical, if not cheating, and they had even tried to recruit Demetrio and Joey. Marty also said that the winner of this game would definitely go on to win the National Title.

The game turned out to be anticlimactic. It rained on and off all day, and we made an error in the second inning that could have ended the inning. Instead, Dreieich ran off to a lead that would never be tested. We hit two fly balls to the fence, but their left fielder managed to haul in both. As the innings passed the kids began to realize they would not be heading to nationals. It was sad to see, as this group had been playing together since February.

I am going to continue coaching baseball this fall and into the winter as they move indoors. Kids in Germany have to commit to one or two sports from an early age, so most sports programs run all year long. It's funny to think that this team, with aspirations of winning a national championship, is no better than Countryside during my career in Williamstown Cal Ripken. Still, they kids are fun to coach, I like having some American dads to talk with, and I always enjoy being involved with baseball no matter what the level of play. 

Soccer Manifesto, Part 2

With a Week of Training Under My Belt...

Right now, I couldn't be happier about my soccer situation. I arrived in Germany with a soccer club prepared to take me in, but I knew little else about what to expect. The club was DJK Bad Homburg, and I was slated to play for the Jugund-A squad--the U18 team. Other than that, I did not know my practice or game schedule, any teammates, or what level of play to expect.

Now I am going to pause for a minute and talk about the soccer culture in Germany. The energy and passion that the sport receives is comparable only to American football, but even that is not a fair comparison. Here, everyone knows the sport. Even the youngest members in the youth club programs seem to have an understanding for the positioning, movement, and artistry that goes into the game. And the sheer number of players at every level is astounding. In Bad Homburg, a small city of 52,000 residents, there are five club programs that boast eight levels of youth teams and two adult team for boys and girls, men and women. That's nearly a hundred teams. I'm not saying that Germany is the soccer capital of the world; I'm simply explaining the environment that I've thrown myself into.

DJK Bad Homburg turf field

The season here has just begun, so although I missed a few training sessions, it was the perfect time to arrive. My first practice was last Tuesday. I met my coach Karim, got introduced to my teammates, and started kicking around--definitely sizing up the abilities of my German counterparts. I noticed some things right away and others only after a week of training. First, the skill sets of the German footballers are slightly different than those of Americans. My teammates were not all that much bigger, faster, and stronger than last year's Greylock team, and they often had a poor first touch or a weak left foot. However, their creativity with the ball and their ability to use every part of their body impressed me.

Slowly, I started picking up on the style of play. I learned the hard way that possession is first and foremost; putting yourself or your teammate in a risky situation is to be avoided at all costs. There is a greater emphasis on the flow of the game than on hard-nosed defending. I have grown up playing fast--always thinking ahead, always ready to make a quick move and then send a ball forward that starts the attack. While I was able to use some of my vision to create plays, I soon realized that I could not force passes forward. The pace of the game here tends to fluctuate much more than in America. Short swells of speed often give way to stagnant passing in the back and midfield before another attack can begin. I will be forced to cut down on turnovers and learn to recognize that the correct pass is often a simple one.

I began to really understand the different style during a Men's Team scrimmage last Friday night. I train twice a week with the DJK men in addition to my junior team. The First Team plays a serious league schedule and features a starting lineup that I would compare to a DIII college team. I got to play center back for the Second team--a mix of fairly skilled guys who don't quite have the fitness level to play competitive 90 minute games. Still, young and old, these guys understand the game. I loved facing off against the fastest and most skilled First Team forwards, and it just so happened that my team pulled off a 1-0 victory. If I can be a part of scrimmages like that for my four months here, I'll certainly improve in a lot of ways.

Matches begin this week. I'll write about soccer again after I get a judgement on what league play will be like.

Soccer Manifesto, Part 1

The Beautiful Game, and Me...

Soccer has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. From the EPL games that always made their way onto our television to hours and hours of training in wind, rain, and snow, I grew up as a product of a soccer household. 

It hit me this past week that this fall is my first since kindergarten that I will not be a part of Greylock Soccer. For those of you who don't know, my father Blair Dils has coached the Mounties boys squad since 1999--capturing numerous North Division titles and a State Championship along the way. My earliest memories of the sport came not on the field but along the sidelines as a ballboy. It didn't take long for those chilly Friday nights at the Greylock stadium to become my favorite time of the year, and that love stuck with me throughout my playing days as a Mountie. 

The final whistle

I made it to the big leagues as a freshman in 2008, earned a starting role for the varsity team a few games into the season, and got to be a part of the most amazing emotional ride as we somehow managed win after win--all the way to the State Championship game. That was the greatest day of all, as we clung on to win 3-2 in the biting wind at Cawley Stadium. It wasn't a bad time to score my first career goal, either.

I will talk about that game or any of my three following seasons any chance I get. In my four years Greylock we went 70-5-5, and I'd love to think that I made a little bit of an impact on a program and school that I care so much about. Being a part of the Greylock Soccer way of life for so long prepared me for success in high school and my opportunities going forward. 

My plans for the future always included soccer. I knew I could play in college, and I am so fortunate to be heading to Middlebury where I can continue my sport. Every scheme and conversation focused on my current gap year had soccer involved. I knew that I needed to find a way to play against high level competition, to immerse myself in a soccer culture, and to focus on improvement. Everything from a PG year to playing in Zimbabwe was thrown around, but eventually my soccer plans landed in Bad Homburg, Germany.

Check back soon for Part 2, where I'll explain my soccer situation in Germany.

MyZeil: A Slightly Ridiculous Frankfurt Mall

Looking towards the entrance of the MyZeil Mall. 

In my first visit to the city of Frankfurt, a twenty-five minute train ride from Bad Homburg, I spent most of my time walking around, exploring the buildings of the Old City, looking up at the only true skyscrapers in Germany, and sampling the food. I discovered the Fressgass--a pedestrian only outdoor eatery. Imagine a Spring Street without any cars; every building a restaurant, cafe, or bakery; with tabels and umbrellas everywhere and in the middle, twenty Taco Trucks each with a different specialty. I certainly had a difficult time deciding on my lunch.

Frankfurt is the financial capital of Germany, and with that comes the only American-style skyline in Germany. Shadowed beneath the skyscrapers is the Old City, parks, a zoo, an incredible shopping district, and plenty of photo opportunities to go around. Frankfurt seems well organized, unlike many of the sprawling labyrinths that are the old European cities. 

My wandering brought me to the Zeil shopping district. Apart from Goethenstrasse, which is one of the most upscale shopping streets in Europe, the main attraction is the new MyZeil mall. It opened in 2009, and drew attention not necessarily from the quality or quantity of shops but rather the architecture. Looking from outside (Photo 1), the glass panels would be ordinary if not for the vortex-like structure in the center. On the sunny Tuseday it seemed almost like a black hole that disappeared into the depths of the mall. 

From the inside, the glass tube reflects light onto the shiny metal that covers the walls and brightens the mall (Photo 2). It climbs to the top of the seven-story mall before plunging in a downward spiral past the escalators and balconies to the floor below (Photo 3). 

I did not go to Frankfurt to shop, so I cannot speak to the stores in MyZeil, but I know that it is worth a look no matter what the budget is. The Frankfurters did not want an ordinary mall to devalue their shopping district, so they built what can only be described as eye-catching, slightly ridiculous, and probably worth a quick stop. 

Public Transportation & The German Honor System

Modern Art in Frankfurt

Part of the wonderful experience of living abroad is the ability to truly study a new culture and society. Traveling quickly from place to place and packing as much as possible into a vacation is always fun, but what I enjoy about this trip is the freedom I have to slow down, to examine the new settings around me, and to try to learn. Even though I am living in an atypical German home, I still have had the chance to learn much about the culture here. The European way of life is different than the American; not necessarily better or worse, just different. There are details of daily life, big and small, that are very different than what I am used to. In my blog posts I will try to point these out--from the trivial and absurd to the ones that we could all learn from.

I tried my hand at the German public transportation system for the first time on Tuesday. As Nina briefed me on the bus and train that I needed to take, she mentioned that I should buy a ticket but that it wasn't a necessity. It turns out that in German, public transportation is built on a system of trust. Travelers are expected to have a ticket and to hold themselves accountable whether it gets checked or not. There are regular ticket checks on the busses and trains, but it is more likely than not that you won't have to present a ticket. 

So, I boarded the #6 bus with full intention of purchasing my ticket, but when no one else went up to the bus driver to pay, I stopped--not wanting to cause a disruption or be targeted as an ignorant American. I found a window seat, worrying slightly about not having a ticket. I realized, however, that a nearly empty bus at 10 AM on a Tuesday was unlikely to draw the attention of a ticket-checker. Within a few minutes I was exiting at the train station like nothing had ever happened. 

Kaiserstrasse with Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (train station) in distance

Germany is probably one of the few places where this system works. I made sure to buy a tageskarte--a day pass--before boarding the train into Frankfurt. I felt slightly guilty not living up to the German honor code, and I realize now that it's not saving an extra Euro if I am not holding myself accountable. In America, or in Britain, Italy, and probably most places in the world, this system would never work. The Germans buy into this method of public transportation (perhaps because they think so highly of themselves) and everything runs smoothly. 

I am fortune to be in a place that values public transportation. It's easy for me to take a bus wherever I wish in Bad Homburg. The S-Bahn and the U-Bahn rail networks run regularly throughout the towns and small cities of the greater Frankfurt region. For eight Euros, I can take any train in and around Frankfurt--all day long if I wish. Another perk of the European train network is the rail passes. I have already purchased two, two-month passes that allow me to take a long-distance ICE train to anywhere in Germany and some of the surrounding countries. I'll try to get maximum usage out of my passes, and they will be especially great in October when all of the schools and sports programs shut down for two weeks or more. I like to think that I am here to play soccer and volunteer in a school, and that the travel is just a perk, but I know that I will make some of my greatest memories when I hop aboard a train and ride off to somewhere new.

The Beginning

My First (and Hopefully Longest) Post

On the morning of August 17--my first full day in Bad Homburg, Germany--I jogged up a dirt road towards the foothills of the Taunus Mountains, staring at my feet as to avoid the bigger rocks. As I crested the hill, I glanced upwards, and the view was enough to make me stop. From the hill I could see over fields of apple trees, down into the town of Bad Homburg, and far out into the distance where the skyline of Frankfurt rose from the morning haze.

It's moments like these that make me stop and think how lucky I am. I turned back to the dirt road and continued, think-ing how this could have been any run in the Berkshire valleys or Adiron-dack peaks. But I wasn't in Massa-chusetts or New York--I was in Germany.I'd made it to the destination that I'd been talking about and scheming about for months. This felt different; this felt special.

The Planning

During the second semester of my senior year at Mt. Greylock, I looked forward to nothing more than my block seven independent study period. I was creating a "Greylock Gap Year" website, but for every hour of researching, writing, and web designing, I spend twice as many thinking, dreaming, and planning my upcoming year. From sending regular emails across the pond to mapping the dream road trip to calculating estimated expenses, I went about planning my gap year with a whimsical irregularity that made the whole experience fun. 

I always liked the idea of taking a year off between high school and college. I could catch up with my age group, get better at soccer, and have time to create my own adventures. Inspired by Dylan Dethier's golfing escapade across the Lower 48, I envisioned a similarly grand experience that catered to my needs. By senior year I was set on taking a gap year; still, it was difficult to throw myself into preparing for the year before I'd even been accepted to college. It was just before Christmas break when I was assured of future plans, as I got into Middlebury College.  Both the administration and soccer coach at Midd fully supported my decision to defer. From then on I could enjoy my second semester, but I could also keep myself busy with a year's worth of preparation ahead of me. 

Week by week, email by email, plans fell into place. It began with a conversation with the Judson family. Nina, who knew my mother growing up in Williamstown, and Simon, from the UK, lived in Germany with their four kids. Do you like living in Germany? Is there a bed for me for four months? Can I find a soccer team to join? The answers were YES, YES, and YES. Soon I had my plane ticket booked--August 16 to December 16--and I had the first part of my year set in stone.

I began to see my year falling into three separate adventures, sandwiched by two summers at Camp Dudley. Following Germany I wanted to plan a solo road trip heading south, and part three would be the best time to stay with my aunt and uncle Harry and Nellie Scoble in Hamden, CT while I worked. But those details will come later.

As graduation came and went and I left Williamstown for camp, Germany crept closer. It was strange trying to pack up my life and fit it in a suitcase and a backpack. The more I tried to squeeze in, the more fond memories I seemed to leave behind. But I knew that if I kept an open mind, I could make memories during my gap year that would last a lifetime.

Setting Off

Now I have arrived in Germany, and the first leg has begun! Each stage of leaving was hard; first Williamstown, then Dudley, and lastly my family. But every time I felt a pang of sadness rise in my chest, I thought of everyone who had heard my plans and said that I was going to have the time of my life. I thought of my sendoff dinner at Uncle Harry's restaurant, and I knew that before I could blink, I would be back there again for Christmas Eve lunch. 

My plane from JFK was delayed by three hours, but since it was an overnight flight I did not mind. Once we were in the air time flew by. I was able to sleep between dinner and breakfast, and when I was not resting I talked with the traveler seated next to me. She was a college student from Connecticut and was going to Berlin and Copenhagen for a week each before school started. It was nice to hear her perspective, but I was also thankful that I did not have to worry about checking into a hostel right away. I realized that there are so many travelers like her, and very few like me. 

I arrived tired, but walking back from my gate I may have snuck in a casual fist pump. This was actually happen-ing! My host family was waiting--excited and a little confused (at least Alex (4) and Izzy (2)). Immediately I flashed back to memories of my youngest cousins running around wildly at the Storey Farm in Westport. It's not all bad being greeted by screams of excitement. 

Luke (9) and Sebastian (7) helped me move into my room, which has a balcony with views over the rooftops of our Kirdorf village. Everything is a bike ride away--the soccer fields, the schools, the bakery and beer store.

Language will never be a barrier inside the English-speaking Judson household, though I have encountered situations where I need a word or phrase in German and struggle to come up with a response. By being around a new language all day, and by listening, reading, and asking questions, I have no choice but to improve. I've already used much of my limited RosettaStone German knowledge and hope to begin expanding it.

The Road Ahead

I now enter my first full week in Germany. I've been eased into the town, and now I can begin to explore. First it will be Bad Homburg via bus and bicycle, then the city of Frankfurt, and eventually longer train and car trips to major German cities and beyond.

My weeks will not be all travel, however. I'll be playing soccer with the DJK Bad Homburg club five days a weeks. If the level of play is anywhere near the quality of the fields, I'll be completely satisfied. It will be great to meet my teammates and find new friends who can show me around.

I also meet with the Accadis International School about volunteering in the classroom. The school is completely bilingual, and no matter what age group I end up working with, it will be a wonderful opportunity to share what I bring while learning the language. After a few months, I hope to at least be able to walk into a store or restaurant and not have to ask "Sprechen Sie English?"

It will be an unforgettable four months. I can't predict how I'll feel by the end, but I hope to use my time here to the fullest. It's strange to think that I will still have six months left after Germany is over, but those adventures are for other days. For now, I am nothing but excited for what lies ahead.