Munden’s young handball players in Canada, the land of ice hockey

As a volleyball player you belong to a very small minority in Canada. Nevertheless, Munden’s young player Leonard Jordan liked it so much that he is going there for a second time.

Hon. MUNDON — From a purely sporting perspective, Mundon’s young goalkeeper Leonard Jordan didn’t have to dress particularly hot in Canada. After all, volleyball is just a side note. But don’t underestimate the minus 20 degrees Celsius it can get in Edmonton. The 17-year-old from JSG Münden/Volkmarshausen was so inspired by the adventure of a school semester abroad that he is already ready to go again.

This Sunday we will get back on a plane and fly across the pond. Leonard was thrilled. “When I was at school, my first stay was the best time of my life,” he insists. He had actually asked in advance which school offered volleyball. “Under no circumstances do I want to get significantly worse between January and May, as I was admitted just before I joined TG. Unlike in the United States, amateur sports in Canada are not organized by clubs, but rather by schools. He eventually found what he was looking for at a high school in Edmonton.

The 1.95m tall man from Mundan must have made an impact right away as tryouts (trial practice sessions open to all) did not go as planned. “I was very bad that day, but coach Sean Heidebrecht believed in me so much as a German player that I still came into the team.” Overall, he surprised with a good level of play. The Edmonton City League played several times a week between March and May. At the end of the short season, thanks to the German goalkeeper, it reached the top spot.

In addition to sports, Leonard improved his English. He became interested in the wilderness in Alberta, which stretches over 1,200 kilometers, during trips with his family, including the mountains. Ice hockey is number one there. “On Edmonton Oilers game days, a lot of young people came to school wearing jerseys. Ice hockey was a constant topic of conversation and there were frequent public viewings that I remember particularly fondly,” says Jordan. During his second stay until November, he likes to watch an NHL game between the Oilers and the exceptional German player Leon Triseitel in the hall.

In Mundan, the DG Association League men’s training team thinks highly of him. He was even used last season. However, he is currently recovering from a tear in the syndesmotic ligament in his ankle, which was discovered only after his return to Munden. “When I come back this time, I want to get back into JSG’s A-Youth team and get a taste of the men’s team,” said his goals. (Manuel Brandenstein)