Our first professional handball camp was a great success. On June 12, 2016, 36 expectant and perhaps slightly nervous girls and boys from 13 nations, met here in Flensburg to start the first edition of Vranjes Professional Handball Camp.

After securing the new and nice premises of the Flensburg Akademie, the starting kits were handed out; with a t-shirt, shorts, a Vranjes17-handball and a water bottle. In the afternoon, it was time for the first training session, which gave us as leaders, an opportunity to assess all the players' individual skills.  The day ended with our first dinner together in the evening. The participants were served three meals a day, and between the main meals, there were snacks and fruit at hand.

The training was divided into two sessions a day, for girls and boys separately, and covered strength, technique, speed, tactics, theory and motivation. Maik and I were coaching all training units and Jan Holpert was in charge of the goalkeeper training sessions. 

One of the days we went to the climbing park in Leck. Once there, we unfortunately had to cancel the climbing due a persistent and relentless rainstorm. But we did, however, get a really nice afternoon at the beach, where we played beach volleyball and barbequed together.

It was most likely a bunch of pretty tired, but happy, participants who packed up after a week's stay here at the camp in Flensburg. Contacts were exchanged and then everybody took off for home with training recommendations and a diploma in their luggage. We, as leaders, were also a little ’tender’ after a fantastic, fun, and rewarding week together with these ambitious young people.  Wishing those of you who were here all the luck for the future! 

It was an extra treat that we could give one of the participants, Toms Lielais from Latvia, the chance to return to Flensburg's youth academy and he is now in place for handball training at the highest level by the SG Flensburg Handewitt!

Thanks to everyone who participated at the camp in 2016 and look out for Camp 2017!

Sporty regards,

Ljubomir Vranjes, Maik Machulla and Jan Holpert