Football at grassroots level is hugely popular in Germany, with almost 26,000 clubs playing the sport under the umbrella of the DFB. Ordinarily, it is the game’s professional stars who are in the spotlight, but up and down the country there are local heroes playing and getting involved with their clubs. Today, we meet unlikely father-and-son duo Jürgen and Conradin Walenciak.
Jürgen Walenciak was originally meant to take on an organisational role at SC DJK Roland Borsigwalde, registering players, filling out forms and the like. But when the newly founded team had trouble recruiting 11 men for their league matches, he found himself pulling on his boots on to play six of the team’s 14 games in the first half of Berlin’s Kreisliga C Staffel 4 league. At 61-years-old, Walenciak has played the full 90 minutes of each of his encounters.
The man responsible for deciding where to play Jürgen is 21-year-old Conradin Walenciak – his son, and Borsigwalde’s coach. “We don’t think about it during matches, when I’m the coach and he’s the player,” says Conradin, but he admits: “When you think about it, it’s very odd that I’m the one giving him instructions.”
“As long as the lads prefer to play with me than with ten men, it’s fine”
At first, some spectators asked Walenciak Sr., with some irritation, what he was doing out on the pitch. “But for as long as the lads prefer to play with me than with ten men, it’s fine,” he says.
It comes as no surprise to learn that he struggles to keep up with players who are often young enough to be his grandchildren, and he has long given up on the “receive the ball, look for team-mates and calmly play the pass” approach that is standard in over-60s football. Jürgen concedes that quick passing and movement is not his strong suit, but when two or three 20-year-olds are bearing down on you, passing is the better option. “Technically, he can keep up,” says his son, “But, of course, athleticism and stamina are more of a struggle.”
Jürgen thus serves as something of a utility man, even playing in goal once this season. “But that was quite frustrating,” he notes, as VfB Sperber Neukölln’s second team put 15 goals past him that day.
Walenciak Sr. awarded “Man of the Day” for lobbed goal
Ordinarily, the 61-year-old stays at the opposite end of the pitch to the strikers. Nevertheless, Borsigwalde’s “oldie” and club deputy chairman was named “Man of the Day” by football magazine Fußball-Woche for a lobbed goal in his team’s 2-1 win over SC Siemensstadt’s reserves. It was Walenciak Sr.’s first goal for the club and one of four wins for the team so far this season.
Although there is room for improvement, miracles could never have been expected of a team in which most players have never been part of a club before. What is more, the side were more or less rudderless in their first few matches, prior to Conradin – who previously played for the club – taking on the job of coaching them. “I’m not a great footballer,” he explains, “but I’ve always been fascinated by the tactical side of the game.”
Home matches on Sunday at 9.15am
The core of this Kreisliga C side is formed from a former church league team, and also includes Dominik Walenciak, the second youngest of the five Walenciak brothers. Rebuilding a men’s team that could play in the league each week was a success in itself for this small club from northern Berlin.
It is now the winter break, and Walenciak Sr. has reverted to organisational duties, taking stock of the players at the club’s disposal. He has 24 players on his list but with four of these no longer involved, that leaves 20. That should be enough, but a season is a long time in Kreisliga C, and anything could happen, be it injuries, holidays or a reluctance to appear in home games that kick off at 9.15am on a Sunday. The latter is not something that bothers the semi-retired IT technician.
Nevertheless, the Walenciaks hope that Jürgen will make fewer appearances in future. “That’s not because I don’t want to select him,” stresses Conradin, “but because selecting him would mean we are low on players again.” Jürgen himself has mixed feelings about the whole thing. “I love to play, but I would prefer it if they could do it without me.” One thing is clear: he will be ready if his coach needs him.
created by fde
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Football at grassroots level is hugely popular in Germany, with almost 26,000 clubs playing the sport under the umbrella of the DFB. Ordinarily, it is the game’s professional stars who are in the spotlight, but up and down the country there are local heroes playing and getting involved with their clubs. Today, we meet unlikely father-and-son duo Jürgen and Conradin Walenciak.
Jürgen Walenciak was originally meant to take on an organisational role at SC DJK Roland Borsigwalde, registering players, filling out forms and the like. But when the newly founded team had trouble recruiting 11 men for their league matches, he found himself pulling on his boots on to play six of the team’s 14 games in the first half of Berlin’s Kreisliga C Staffel 4 league. At 61-years-old, Walenciak has played the full 90 minutes of each of his encounters.
The man responsible for deciding where to play Jürgen is 21-year-old Conradin Walenciak – his son, and Borsigwalde’s coach. “We don’t think about it during matches, when I’m the coach and he’s the player,” says Conradin, but he admits: “When you think about it, it’s very odd that I’m the one giving him instructions.”
“As long as the lads prefer to play with me than with ten men, it’s fine”
At first, some spectators asked Walenciak Sr., with some irritation, what he was doing out on the pitch. “But for as long as the lads prefer to play with me than with ten men, it’s fine,” he says.
It comes as no surprise to learn that he struggles to keep up with players who are often young enough to be his grandchildren, and he has long given up on the “receive the ball, look for team-mates and calmly play the pass” approach that is standard in over-60s football. Jürgen concedes that quick passing and movement is not his strong suit, but when two or three 20-year-olds are bearing down on you, passing is the better option. “Technically, he can keep up,” says his son, “But, of course, athleticism and stamina are more of a struggle.”
Jürgen thus serves as something of a utility man, even playing in goal once this season. “But that was quite frustrating,” he notes, as VfB Sperber Neukölln’s second team put 15 goals past him that day.
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Walenciak Sr. awarded “Man of the Day” for lobbed goal
Ordinarily, the 61-year-old stays at the opposite end of the pitch to the strikers. Nevertheless, Borsigwalde’s “oldie” and club deputy chairman was named “Man of the Day” by football magazine Fußball-Woche for a lobbed goal in his team’s 2-1 win over SC Siemensstadt’s reserves. It was Walenciak Sr.’s first goal for the club and one of four wins for the team so far this season.
Although there is room for improvement, miracles could never have been expected of a team in which most players have never been part of a club before. What is more, the side were more or less rudderless in their first few matches, prior to Conradin – who previously played for the club – taking on the job of coaching them. “I’m not a great footballer,” he explains, “but I’ve always been fascinated by the tactical side of the game.”
Home matches on Sunday at 9.15am
The core of this Kreisliga C side is formed from a former church league team, and also includes Dominik Walenciak, the second youngest of the five Walenciak brothers. Rebuilding a men’s team that could play in the league each week was a success in itself for this small club from northern Berlin.
It is now the winter break, and Walenciak Sr. has reverted to organisational duties, taking stock of the players at the club’s disposal. He has 24 players on his list but with four of these no longer involved, that leaves 20. That should be enough, but a season is a long time in Kreisliga C, and anything could happen, be it injuries, holidays or a reluctance to appear in home games that kick off at 9.15am on a Sunday. The latter is not something that bothers the semi-retired IT technician.
Nevertheless, the Walenciaks hope that Jürgen will make fewer appearances in future. “That’s not because I don’t want to select him,” stresses Conradin, “but because selecting him would mean we are low on players again.” Jürgen himself has mixed feelings about the whole thing. “I love to play, but I would prefer it if they could do it without me.” One thing is clear: he will be ready if his coach needs him.
