Basketball player Paul Zipser looking for “normality”, Basketball – BR – Regional

On March 2, 2022, Paul Zipser’s sporting life began anew. In the basketball Bundesliga, FC Bayern coach Andrea Trincherei sent him onto the field against the Hamburg Towers. 15 seconds only. But Zipser was back. Where he feels most comfortable, where he has been a reliable point collector for twelve years: on the basketball court.

Brain stem surgery in June 2021

A nine-month period of suffering lay behind him. In June 2021, a tumor that had bled into his head was discovered – in a sensitive area, on the brainstem, which is responsible for coordination, vision, breathing, among other things – emergency surgery. Since then, Zipser has been working meticulously on returning to a normal life as an athlete.

Comeback in March 2022

“The best moment was when I was standing on the pitch during the intro,” Zipser remembers in an exclusive interview with BR24 Sport: “Because the weeks before I was just sitting next to the bench. I was finally able to stand on the pitch again, in my usual place , I see the fans again, the music – that was the first time the feeling ‘Ok, I know that.'”

That he’s far from 100 percent and can only help his team in the play-offs for a few minutes at the moment? “It hurts from time to time. But the joy outweighs the fact that it’s starting now and this time is starting – and I with it,” says Zipser.

“Sometimes there is a day that is very good. Sometimes there are two or three days that are not so good. There is still no clear line to be seen.” Paul Zipser on his current performance

Uli Hoeneß at the bedside

Uli Hoeneß was one of the first at Paul Zipser’s bedside. The FC Bayern honorary president took care of the operated basketball player, invited him to his home and supported him on his way back to a normal life. The Bavarians themselves immediately extended the contract with Zipser – without knowing what the future would bring.

The club’s trust meant a lot to Zipser. “Putting trust in me, trusting the doctors – that’s a huge thing,” Zipser looks back. Because it wasn’t necessarily clear at first that he would be able to get back.

The long way back to the basketball court

And not necessarily in the first days and weeks after the operation either. “You’re thrown in there. You have to figure out that you have to try things out. There is no clear structure on how to get out of there and everything becomes normal,” explains Zipser: “I felt every step we took forward was: We’ll throw me in cold water and then we’ll see for a few days.”

“There are 1,000 steps on the way that you don’t even have on your screen.” Paul Zipser about his rehabilitation period

Sometimes days, sometimes weeks, sometimes months. “It actually works after a week or two,” says Zipser about the success of individual rehabilitation measures, “sometimes it only takes two days.” But: “There was also a phase where it took a month or a little longer. It’s completely variable.”

moments of doubt

Zipser didn’t want to give up. But there were moments that were difficult to master. “There were a few moments when I had doubts about various things. And I also questioned many other things. It’s just a completely different level of challenge,” says Zipser.

In the early days of rehab, it was particularly difficult for him to be close to the team. “It takes a few days or weeks at the beginning to get to the team because it has become too much to see what they can do and what you can’t do,” says Zipser: “It was good to dose that, I did it right away learned at the beginning. But every now and then there weren’t such good days or weeks.”

Source: Blickpunkt Sport 05/15/2022 – 10:10 p.m

Which: BR