Beach volleyball – Louisa Lippmann: “I learned a lot”

As of: 09/20/2022 6:05 p.m

Louisa Lippmann was the best German volleyball player – until she decided to switch to beach volleyball a few months ago. In an interview, she explains why she now wears baby shoes, struggles with sore muscles and feels the weather in Hamburg.

Ms. Lippmann, you’ve only been a professional beach volleyball player since early summer. How would you describe your level of performance – are you already at the top level or are you still in your baby shoes?

Louisa Lippmann: Definitely baby shoes. It was prophesied to me before that this is a new sport. Unfortunately I have to agree. This is a very big transition and it won’t happen in four months. So these are definitely baby steps.

Is beach volleyball harder than you might think?

Lippman: Because I was able to try it two years ago, I was able to roughly assess what to expect. When these thoughts came to me, it was already clear to me that this would not be a bed of roses. There are a few things that I didn’t realize were in such great need of relearning. My trainers brought me down to earth relatively quickly.

What are the big differences between beach volleyball and the classic team game – both variants involve digging and splashing?

Lippman: There are two factors: one, what happens on the field. The other thing happening around the game. The basic techniques are of course the same. But the way to get there is different. In beach volleyball you have to do a lot more footwork. In the hall, inaccuracies are more forgiving. If you’re not in perfect contact with the ball there, you can compensate for that. The surface is the biggest difference because you don’t have the same stability as indoors. And of course there are only two of you on the field, you’re always on the ball. You’re not coached from outside either. Except that volleyball is part of the term beach volleyball, there aren’t that many similarities.

Isn’t beach volleyball also much more strenuous?

Lippman: I’m more of a guy who can move dynamically and quickly. It’s more likely to be swallowed up in the sand, the effort is lost there. The question then becomes: How do I move efficiently in the sand? In the beginning it was super exhausting. I had incredibly sore muscles in my feet and hand. But the jumps are much easier on the joints. This requires an adaptation phase of the physique.

Louisa Lippmann (left) and Kira Walkenhorst form a temporary “couple”.

You, who were considered the best German player, surprisingly decided to stop playing classic volleyball. They had reached the top of the world, were national players, played abroad and earned good money – but didn’t feel happy and underchallenged. What caused the dissatisfaction?

Lippman: My ideas have shifted a bit. Because of Corona, you pressed a button and had time to reflect. I felt good in indoor volleyball, that was also a great security. But something in me started to doubt. It’s only a short period of time in which I can do competitive sports and my body goes along with it. The question for me was how I really want to spend this time. I wanted to achieve more self-determination, more freedom, more individuality for myself, which is difficult to achieve in the indoor volleyball system.

Would you say that was the most important decision of your life so far?

Lippman: Yes, probably. I’m actually a very safety-conscious person, of course I had that a lot more in the hall. It’s a bit of a question of what I wanted to do with my life. Choosing what your gut tells you and not always rationally what your head tells you. I don’t know how successful it will be. But in the end I won’t say: Oh, I should have.

Are you a happier person now?

Lippman: I feel right where I am. Of course there is also a lot of frustration in training because it doesn’t go fast enough. It’s a pleasure to get to know me again. I’m just happy about everything that’s happened to me in the last three months.

You made your first attempts at a tournament, the European Championships, with the German world-class player Kira Walkenhorst. There they earned their first victory. Do you feel you are on the right track?

Lippman: I don’t know when was the last time I was so excited. She helped me get into the game. But I paid a lot of tuition. It’s totally impressive how sovereign Kira acted. But I’m glad that I jumped into this cold water and gained my first international experience. We didn’t expect to win anything big, that would have been unrealistic. Above all, it was a very important and great lesson.

After the first competition experience: Which skills can you contribute profitably for your team? And what do you still urgently need to improve?

Lippman: A big plus is my athleticism, which I still have to learn how to use well in the sand. As a diagonal player, I never had anything to do with acceptance. Now there’s a 50:50 chance that I’ll get the ball. I still have to improve everything. I thought I could take my attack with me. The first thing I was told: We have to change the attack.

You said you want to take part in the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. There your partner should be called Laura Ludwig. Kira Walkenhorst’s ex-partner is getting fit again after a baby break. Is there still enough time to reach absolute world class level?

Lippman: We are aware that it is a very short period of time. I’m trying to learn beach volleyball, Laura is coming back from her second baby break. These are two very individual points of view and the aim is to quickly converge and get to the top level. We must now focus on the path. We’ve been training together for a week, it’s really good, it’s a lot of fun. All further planning is just starting now.

Louisa Lippmann wants to compete with Laura Ludwig at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

It’s now been a few months since your drastic decision. Have you already regretted this?

Lippman: No, not at all. I’ve waited for it more than once, but so far it hasn’t happened. Even with such Hamburg weather. But I never thought that I wanted to put my knee pads and indoor shoes back on.

The interview was conducted by Jörg Strohschein

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