Dear Wolf, please introduce yourself briefly: Who are you, where are you from and what is your sporting background?
I’m Wolf, born in 1943, and I come from Lübeck. Sport has always been a central part of my life. I became a handball goalkeeper at the age of 14 and played in the provincial football team at 15.
Later, I played in the national defence and student teams in northern Germany, with games all over the Eastern Bloc – from Moscow to Tbilisi. I was also active in international tournaments in Scandinavia, often hitchhiking, always with a ball, of course. I worked as a coach for youth and men’s teams up to the 2nd league/upper league in the old West Germany and coached the French women’s national team at the 1978 World Cup in Germany.
After my professional life as a sports, German and art teacher, I was drawn to youth coaching as a proud grandad – after all, sport is the best thing in the world, even for the little ones.
How did you find out about PLAY HANDBALL and the handball project in Tanzania?
Our Köpenick sports club has maintained friendly contacts with many European countries for years, especially in the area of youth work. The ‘Africa hype’ came about rather by chance: our club president developed a passion for Madagascar, and I myself actually wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and then relax on Zanzibar.
While planning my trip, I came across PLAY HANDBALL, who work with Go4Goals in Tanzania. So why not combine pleasure with something useful and my passion for handball. After a brief contact with Nicola, who is on site for PLAY HANDBALL in South Africa, everything was pretty much sorted.
I also got in touch with my ‘handball foster son’ Martin Berger – former Ajax player and current coach at Rhein-Neckar Löwen – straight afterwards. He visited PLAY HANDBALL in South Africa and Kenya a few years ago as part of his handball world tour and continues to support the organisation as an ambassador. Martin has encouraged me in my plans.
What motivated you to volunteer at your age?
I have experienced a lot, but I still have a great desire to learn new things and pass on sport. A palm reader in New Zealand once told me that I would live to be 100 – so I still have 17 years that I want to fill sensibly! Besides, boredom is not for me. That’s why I combine travelling and sport, even if not every mission is a success: On Borneo last year, I tried to teach gorillas how to catch… Unsuccessfully!
How did you prepare for your stay in Tanzania?
There wasn’t much preparation. I read Hemingway’s ‘Snow on Kilimanjaro’ and read up on German colonial history in Tanzania.
What did your everyday life in Tanzania look like? What were your tasks?
Every day was different. I worked at primary schools and my main task was to train teachers – both men and women – as handball coaches. The school and training day was varied. Not everything is always as organised as in Germany, but that is also part of the cultural experience. Everyone was extremely interested, polite, cheerful and full of enthusiasm during handball training, which usually ended with a joyful clap.
Were there any special moments or encounters that you particularly remember?
The spontaneous songs and dances by the teachers as a thank you were unforgettable – real jam sessions full of joy! I was particularly touched by a little girl who greeted me with ‘Good evening, Babu’ every evening when I went for a walk. When I said goodbye, I promised her: ‘Nitarudi’ – I will come back. And you should keep your word at any age.
What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was definitely the language barrier and the partial lack of sports infrastructure. But the warmth of the people more than made up for it.
How did you experience the collaboration with the local partners?
Very cordial and uncomplicated. PLAY HANDBALL and Go4Goals do a great job of bringing handball to the communities in a sustainable way.
What advice would you like to give to other volunteers, both younger and older?
Age is not a limit! Anyone with a passion for sport and an open approach to other people will be welcome anywhere in the world. Just do it – and enjoy it.
Is there another story you’d like to share?
One of my funniest stories had nothing to do with handball: After a sunburn in the ‘beach ball office’ on the Pacific in Tanzania, I told my new friends about solariums in Germany – artificial sun with facial tanner. They could hardly believe it.
What’s next for you and the project?
Joshi Rau – another homegrown talent from Ajax that Martin and I helped develop – went on to become a German youth champion with Füchse Berlin as a goalkeeper, and he’ll be joining me on our next handball trip to Zanzibar. Together, we’ll be back to teaching handball and getting to know the amazing people and the Swahili language even better. Tuonane hivi Karibu – see you soon, in Swahili!
We are delighted to see Wolf again on his next adventure as a sports coach abroad. We wish him all the best and good health! The Berlin Handball Federation also deserves a big thank you for supporting Wolf in his volunteer work in Tanzania with sports equipment, print media and a lot of other support. Wolf also initiated a partnership between Ajax Köpenick and Go4Goals to promote the project in the long term, beyond his volunteering.
Gather your own impressions in Tanzania!
Would you like to support local social sports projects in Tanzania or Sanzibar as a sports coach with COACH ABROAD? Read on to find out how to apply or send us some brief information about yourself and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
