In February 2011, Jakob Gillmann and Marius Greb established Zeppelin lacrosse Friedrichshafen. Marius Greb first played for Wilbraham and Monson Academy during his exchange year in Massachusetts. Jakob Gillmann currently plays for the swiss national team after having played several years for Cologne and St.Gallen lacrosse.
Both had the goal to start a team and join the German Lacrosse League. Studying at Zeppelin University they asked friends and acquaintances to come to the try out. They organized a field and booked two practice sessions at night. Starting with almost no equipment they decided to contact the German lacrosse association in order to borrow lacrosse sticks and balls.
“Lacrosse is like an addiction; friends tried it out and came back with human reinforcement for the team,” said Fabian Höhner, the new assistant coach of the team. After two weeks in the cold at 20 degrees Fahrenheit and without goals and pads the number of active lacrosse players on the team increased to 15.
A month later, 2011 Zeppelin University sponsored some stock equipment for the team. Newspapers, radio stations and television were interested in the innovative sport and reported about Zeppelin Lacrosse Friedrichshafen. High school students and engineers living in Friedrichshafen, Germany, suddenly came to practice and several days later friends joined. At the end of the semester they registered to the German Lacrosse league. The team decided to form a partnership with Konstanz Lacrosse because they had not enough players to join the league themselves.
Although Zeppelin Lacrosse Friedrichshafen consists of 90% rookies, the team could compete in the league by winning two games against already established teams. In September 2011, Marius Greb started with the help of Eva Gerling and the Zeppelin Lacrosse Friedrichshafen Women's team. Now, there are at least 25 players waiting for the new season to start in September. With freshly recruited players, intensive practice and new Nike jerseys sponsored by T-City Friedrichshafen the men are looking forward to winning the upcoming games in March.
Lacrosse is on the right track of becoming a big sport in Germany. Zeppelin Lacrosse Friedrichshafen is a role model for its story of lacrosse success in Germany. The team contributes by raising interest and making it popular at high schools.
Special thanks to Zeppelin University, T-City Friedrichshafen and DLAXV (German Lacrosse Association)!