By Ulrike Krieger
He is the youngest holder of an A license in handball (23 years old at the time), then became the youngest Bundesliga coach in Germany and is now the youngest coach to win the European Cup – Jaron Siewert (29) from Füchsen Berlin.
In the final of the European League in Flensburg, his foxes pros beat Granollers (Spain) 36:31. A particularly emotional evening for the native Berliner.
“There is nothing more important for a coach than winning a title with the team”
Foxes CEO Bob Hanning
Because in August 2022, just ten months ago, the young coach suffered a stroke. Not only his life, but also his coaching career after recovery was hanging by a thread. Can he return to his job after a stroke?
But Füchse bosses Bob Hanning (55) and Stefan Kretzschmar (50) not only replace him for three games on the coaching bench, but also give Siewert a new one-year contract afterwards.
After the Euro cracker, Siewert speaks about…
…the meaning of the title: “We’ve been through thick and thin over the last year. Right at the beginning of the season things weren’t looking so good for me after my stroke. In between during the season, one or the other player did not look so good in terms of performance. Of course, the fact that we won this title means a lot to me, because it’s also my first time as a coach. I am very grateful to all those responsible. But I think I’ll need a few more days to process that. It’s not so natural to be standing here, after all this year and with my whole history. I see that as satisfaction for me, for the whole club, for the players.
…about his party release to the players: They can now really let loose and celebrate, so I don’t look at the clock or insist on training days. I don’t make any rules. I think we won’t be training again for another two or three days. I hope everything goes well and nobody gets hurt.” He smiles at the allusion to Hans Lindberg, who fell under the influence of alcohol in February and was out for 9 weeks with a broken hand.
… about his celebration together with his son Emil (3): “He didn’t really want to celebrate with me, he was actually angry because he didn’t have a ball to play with after the game. My wife Lina and I had left it at home. And because he didn’t have a ball in his hand, he thought the medal was really cool. He knows the silver from 2021 from home, now the gold has been added, but none of that really interests him.
… about the next Bundesliga game: “The videos have already been prepared, so we’re lucky because it’s Göppingen again, which we had already prepared and planned for the Final Four. A home game would certainly have been more pleasant.”
Proudly with the Foxes trainer Jaron Siewert (29) Photo: dpa/picture alliance
…about his own victory reward: “Here I am again at the beginning of the season, I won’t drink that much alcohol, it was already one or two beers and actually I still have to visit a fast food restaurant.”
… about the final opponent Granollers from Spain: “Really, I’ve never seen a team celebrate themselves like that for second place. Great. They were at an emotional high, surprisingly marched into the final with great games, threw Flensburg and Göppingen out. There was a great atmosphere in the team. Outstanding. That wouldn’t happen in football. That was handball as it lives and breathes. There can only be one winner, but this time it felt like two.”