German-French youth camp of judo friends at Post SV.
Aalen-Wasseralfingen. After a two-year break due to corona, the Post Sportverein Aalen organized a joint camp with friends from Aalen’s French twin town for the first time. Around 50 children from Post SV Aalen, the school judo clubs and the French partner club from Saint Lô were to be found on the premises of Post SV.
About 1000 kilometers separate the friendly clubs, but mutual visits are firmly anchored, according to a press release from Post SV. After the long break, the anticipation was great. It was now a week and a half to train, play and above all have fun together. As every year, at the beginning there was the language barrier between the children of the two nations. On the first evening, each child brought a specialty from their home or family, and we tasted it together. After the first few days and small tasks in the foreign language, such as ordering ice cream, this hurdle was quickly removed.
In addition to team games, the focus was on sporting togetherness. By training with “foreign” trainers and partners, the kids were able to learn new ideas and tricks.
On Sunday last week, the children were able to welcome a special training partner: Aalen’s mayor, Frederick Brütting, trained with the children and, as a judoka, passed on his tips. Brütting himself took part three times as a child and therefore had a special tip for the children: “Apart from judo, you can also find friendships for life here in the camp”.
The traditional Ben Brenner mountain run took place on Monday. Ben Brenner was a popular Post SV coach and a member of the judo camp. He passed away far too early at the age of 27, leaving a large gap in the camp team. To honor his memory, there is always his favorite run from the clubhouse to the Braunenberg as a competition. All children gave their best and were therefore rewarded with (finisher) medals and a day at the Buch reservoir.
Sporty things continued the next day. The French support team designed a day around the topic of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The children were allowed to creatively design a team flag and started the competition with the entry ceremony of the teams. Games that required teamwork, dexterity and other skills were mastered and in the end the winning team was able to call their own the Franco-German Olympic Cup.
It is often not easy for children and young people to overcome themselves and go beyond their own inhibitions, but the children also mastered the swap challenge in downtown Aalen. This was about reaching out to people and bartering with them: swapping something simple for something more valuable and raking in a few selfies at the same time. Despite the language barrier, it was a success. The camp ended on Sunday – “au revoir” and until the next meeting of the two nations.
Around 50 children took part in the German-French youth camp on the grounds of Post SV Aalen. It was the first tent camp after two years of a corona-related break. Photo: private
© private
Judo training at the Franco-German Post SV camp
© private
The children clearly had fun.
© private
