16/02/2015 16:46
Getting to know: DRESDNER SC outside spiker Michelle Bartsch
News from the clubs
Dresden, Germany, February 16, 2015. Extreme flooding began in Central Europe – and also in the city of Dresden – after several days of heavy rain back in June 2013. Michelle Bartsch has her personal story to share about that subject. She didn’t know Dresden yet at the time but she also had to deal with extreme flooding on June 22 of that same year.
Just on her wedding day. It was supposed to be the perfect day. A vineyard in Illinois, six bridesmaids, 200 guests and everything that completes the picture of a perfect wedding. A torrential rain started as the couple was attending the ceremony, and the chandeliers in the tent started to sway. Her uncle tried to find a solution for that problem, but couldn’t quite manage that. He undressed himself except for his underwear to seal the entrance with his suit. But there was a way too much water coming down from a close hill and nobody could stop it.
“We were in the middle of the ceremony, everything happened extremely quickly. Two chairs were brought to us, we were standing on them. It wasn’t really romantic,” admits Michelle Bartsch and grins. In the meanwhile the best men of her husband Corbin rolled up their trousers legs. After they tied the knot, everyone attempted to help and they eventually moved to another building just nearby. “Despite everything it was an amazing day. Just the DJ was annoyed because his equipment went wet. Without our friends it would have ended in a big mess.”
Many women would despair or panic. But not Michelle Bartsch, she is unflappable. This has been noticed also by her teammates at DRESDNER SC. And of course her coach Alexander Waibl observes as well: “Michelle is a really balanced person and she’s resting in herself.”
In a young team like DRESDNER SC there are hotspurs but for the right balance you need a few players radiating tranquillity as well. Before the match on Saturday against the VolleyStars THÜRINGEN the 25-year old wasn’t be particular excited. “Some girls are listening to music before the game, I don’t need that,” says the outside spiker who played last season for Rote Raben VILSBIBURG. “On the field others are more emotional and play more spectacular.” Coach Alexander Waibl thinks that she is a complete player, without lots of weaknesses. “She is keeping the overall picture in her mind.”
Not a big surprise if you know about her time before she started playing in Germany. Michelle was working as an assistant coach in a male team. She even led the college team of Irvine to a national title back home in the US. “After ending my career I want to work as a coach,” she says. For better understanding the game of her team and herself she watches a video recording of every match. “You can’t know everything, but I want to understand more.”
When her teammates are taking free time for going out, she is staying at home and analyses videos. In Dresden-Löbtau she is sharing an apartment with her husband. Corbin is a computer scientist and therefore quite flexible. “It was clear from the outset that he would join me to Germany to support me.” When she is coming home exhausted from training, he is cooking for her. Both love Mexican food, and Corbin is doing the best “Pico de gallo”, a sauce for eating Tacos. As a way to relax after her Volleyball duties, she usually goes for a walk. With her dog Champion she is walking on the shores of the Elbe or through the parks of the city. A new passion she has discovered is knitting; her teammate Lisa Stock showed her some handholds. For her birthday she is hoping to complete her first set. She seems to have the right hands for that too.
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