Cycling: What do John Degenkolb, Robert Förstemann, André Greipel, Robert Wagner and René Enders have in common? Not only are they currently among the figureheads of German (track) cycling, but they also share a past at SSV Gera. We visited the cycling club and were amazed at the level of youth work and last but not least at the U15 racing community, the Future Team Jenatec-Breckle.
If you enter the entrance area of the inconspicuous club house in the very south of Gera, you are greeted by numerous signed jerseys in dark wooden frames on the walls - they are thanks and greetings from former club members who have meanwhile made it to the top of the cycling world. On the one hand, the world champion stripes shine on a jersey by Robert Förstemann, diagonally opposite we see a black, red and gold jersey with Lotto-Soudal lettering - of course, that can only be by André Greipel.
In addition to Förstemann and Greipel, John Degenkolb, Robert Wagner, René Enders and Marcel Barth, among others, also trained at SSV Gera. If you look even further back, you even stumble upon cycling legend Olaf Ludwig in the club's annals. “The boys are all still in contact with us and try to help where they can. For example, not long ago André Greipel sent us a huge box of new cycling shoes in all sorts of sizes," says U13 trainer and sporting director Lucas Schädlich.
The pride of the SSV is its youth work - rightly so. In Gera, they strive for a holistic approach that starts very early on and is intended to offer the best possible promotion of talent. "An enormously important role is played by structures that are as perfect as possible in the club," sports director Bernd Herrmann knows. In Gera, too, the crisis in cycling in this country was felt a few years ago: Registrations - especially in the youth sector - were declining, as with all German cycling clubs, and U15s and U17s were almost completely gone. The fact that the sports boarding school belonging to the SSV Gera was completely destroyed during the flood in 2013 did the rest.
SSV Gera - Germany's unique youth work
"We sat down and thought about what we could do. We wanted to do something new, something special." tells Herrmann about this critical phase. These considerations have resulted in a coaching structure in Gera that is unique in Germany. Lucas Schädlich, a trained coach, already works full-time with the U13s. It shouldn't be about overprofessional training for the kids, but above all about professional and appropriate care. You also want to convey a certain seriousness to the young athletes and show them what it feels like to do a sport professionally - "A precursor to the young professional, so to speak," Herrmann explains the project. The idea of performance only comes to the fore with the U15s.
Another consequence of the considerations during the cycling crisis a few years ago is the cooperation with some schools in the region. Here the SSV Gera offers AGs, for which even the very young in the U9 area can register. In order to keep the hurdle for such a group as low as possible and still be able to offer optimal conditions, the SSV organizes a shuttle service for these groups several times a week, which takes the children from school to the training ground and back again. It's not primarily about discovering the future André Greipel or Robert Förstemann, but about making initial contact with cycling - in whatever form. "We also bought a couple of BMX bikes a few years ago, we also have mountain bikes," says Lucas Schädlich – not entirely without pride. In general: the equipment is great. Track bikes from Specialized, lots of road bikes in different sizes, two weight rooms and even a dozen modern spinning bikes are available for the young athletes.
Of course, all of this is associated with a high financial outlay that cannot be covered by the annual fee of only €72. Therefore, a few years ago, a search was made for sponsors, supporters and financiers, especially in the regional environment, who were interested in supporting such youth cycling work. The response was almost entirely positive and we can now build on a stable base of sponsors who make such good equipment and the best possible conditions possible for the young athletes. "We now also have stable license and membership numbers and feel that the work is paying off," reports Heike Schramm, coach of the U15. This also provides a cushion for team building measures such as rafting, canyoning or the ski trip that is planned for spring.
The Future Team Jenatec-Breckle – junior team at professional level
The spearhead of youth work at SSV Gera is the Future Team Jenatec-Breckle, which was launched last March. The U15 racing community not only exudes the flair of a real professional team because of its name. With uniform jerseys, uniform team bikes from next season, a fleet of vehicles for trips to the competitions and the most professional support possible, the preliminary stage to the young professional mentioned by sports director Herrmann should be realized.
“We are on a really good path. We've only had one exit so far and I think I can say that all of our Future Team drivers are very satisfied." says Herrmann with a satisfied grin on his face. But not only the positive feedback from the athletes themselves confirms the path they have taken, but above all the great results: the boys and girls won four German championship titles. Anne Sprigode won three golds, namely in the road race, omnium and pair time trial. Domenik Wolf was able to celebrate the title with the road 4er. The necessary prospects are also taken care of: the goal is to start a separate Gera Bundesliga team with the athletes from the Future team.
During our visit we also had the opportunity to play mouse at a training session of the Future Team Jenatec-Breckle. Training starts at 16:30 p.m. during the winter: The outdoor units must be completed in the glow of the floodlights. A basketball session is on the program to warm up. The shouts and cheers of the kids echo across the dark club grounds. "Playing together! Don't always bang your head against the wall!" exclaims trainer Heike Schramm - a lesson that is also of fundamental importance in cycling. After a few exercises on the steps up to the concrete track directly in front of the clubhouse, a running session follows before finally going to the training room.
Arrived inside and slipped from the tracksuit into a less warm outfit, the boys and girls gather in the training room at the equipment. One group completes exercises here every two minutes while the rest take a break. After each unit, the repetitions completed are noted on the personal training plans. This is how the progress over the season can be documented and that provides a lot of motivation, as we quickly see: "How many do you have?" "46!" "46? Wow!" it echoes through the small room. The atmosphere is relaxed, but still focused. With all the jokes that are cracked and the many smiling faces, the necessary seriousness is not lost.
After about two hours, today's training is over - and we witnessed the really great youth work at SSV Gera. The training and the successes are one thing, but the concept and the effort put in by everyone responsible and not least the Future Team Jenatec-Breckle are simply impressive. Since we would like to continue to follow the development of the team and would also like to share this with you - our readers - you will now find a regular blog of SSV Gera on Velomotion.