Interview
Handball with hard-work: four BVB new signings interviewed
The interview is over before it has even begun: the open-ended question about favourite colours prompts a colourful array of answers. Green and blue, pink and purple – only black and yellow are not included. "That's it girls, we've messed up," says Kelly Vollebregt. She is the most experienced of the group and can immediately see the gaffe in the middle of Dortmund. The others see it her way, every single one of them presses their lips together and nods meaningfully. Then they laugh and just stay seated.
The further insight that in Dortmund they don't have the colours black and yellow, but only one colour, black-yellow, is met with a good mood. A vibe that unites them, even though they are so different.
Left wing Guro Husebø, 22, is a go-getter. When Follo HK announced the transfer of Guro, Andreas Kuno said about the Norwegian: "Despite her young age, Guro already has international experience and her development is far from over. She is very talented, well trained and incredibly fast. I think that together with Lena Hausherr, we are ideally positioned for the future in this position."
At first glance, the Dutch Alieke van Maurik, 19, is much more introverted and a conscientious worker. The left-handed player for the right backcourt only had a one-week break over the summer. She played for VOC Amsterdam in the Dutch championship until the last game day, then passed her A-levels, won bronze with the Netherlands at the Junior World Championship in North Macedonia and also completed the preparation of the senior national team for the Olympics. "For us, Alieke is the perfect complement to Alicia Langer in the right back position. In the Netherlands, the players receive extremely good training, and with her height of over 1.80 metres, she also has the best prerequisites," says Andreas Kuno.
Déborah Lassource, 24, who came to Dortmund from Paris, played the entire preparation for the Olympics with the French national team. In her first Bundesliga game, the backcourt player saved a point with her goal seconds before the end of the game against Buxtehuder SV (25-25).
On the other hand, Kelly Vollebregt, 29, has already played for BVB from 2019 to 2021. After spells with HC Odense in Denmark and Neptunes Nantes in France, the right wing from the Netherlands has returned to Dortmund with a wealth of experience.
But seriously, why did you move to Dortmund?
Husebø: "I've seen a few games in the European League and I have to say: I like the dedication and attitude with which Borussia Dortmund plays handball. The whole city is yellow and black here – sorry, black and yellow."
van Maurik: "I had a good feeling about the girls after just a few trial sessions. I was actually a little nervous about how it would go. But I can already say that I can learn a lot here. That's exactly why I'm here."
Husebø: "I'm sure that the Bundesliga is a good option, especially for young players. In any case, I had a very good feeling about it, so it was an easy decision."
Lassource: "I think I'm the first Frenchwoman to join BVB and I'm looking forward to a very good club with history and ambitions in all competitions. I chose Dortmund because I was looking for a new challenge after ten years in Paris, to take the next step in my career and see something new at a high level. Dortmund is perfect for me; it's close to France and the German way of playing is very similar to the French way."
And Dortmund is almost like Paris, too, in terms of the city...
Lassource: "Oh yes, of course. It's almost the same.." (everyone laughs)
Husebø: "That's good."
Lassource: "No, seriously: I didn't come here to see the city. I came to be successful."
You, Kelly, on the other hand, have made your way to Dortmund for the second time in your career, after previously playing for the club from 2019 to 2021.
Vollebregt: "Yes, I'm back – with more experience. In 2021, I had an offer from Odense, a top Danish club where I played for two years before spending another year in France. After that trip, I would now like to apply the experience I gained there. At the age of 29, I am obviously one of the older players – or to put it another way: I have never played in such a young team. So now I'm leading the way, which is different from when I first came here, when I also enjoyed playing for BVB. The club and the team have big ambitions. That's the same today as it was then, but other things have changed in the meantime."
What things?
"Oh, it feels a bit like coming home – and at the same time it's a completely new team with a new coach. As a result, the whole dynamic is different. So I arrived with no expectations and can already say: it was a really successful return."
What has been the biggest challenge since your arrival, personally and as a team? You have seven nationalities in the team alone: Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Norway, Sweden and Japan.
Lassource: "The language. I thought I could speak English reasonably well – but I realised that it was reasonably good for a Frenchwoman. Internationally, it's a different level. So I sat down and improved my English. Now I feel free to chat with everyone, on and off the court, which helps a lot. I would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome. I already feel a bit at home."
Husebø: "In the summer I had a few injuries and had to get back into shape. Fortunately, I managed to do that in time, so I could start the preparation without any problems, but I had to be careful not to overdo it again right away. Patience is not always my strength. – And personally, I miss the coast. I love the coast and swimming in the sea. That's the only thing I miss in Dortmund."
Sorry about that. We do have the Phoenix Lake, but it really can't be compared to the sea.
Husebø: "But apart from that, I'm very happy with everything, with the city and with the team. It's even better than I expected. It's great how the whole staff and the fans support the team, how they take care of us."
van Maurik: "I come from a Dutch handball academy. There were 20 of us girls and we were always competing with each other, even after training. We did everything together: trained, ate, lived, breathed handball. That's a big difference to Dortmund. Here I'm freer – and very happy about it. For example, I live with Guro in an apartment, and it suits me."
Vollebregt: "Compared to my first spell at BVB, there are actually a lot of new players here that I previously only knew as opponents. You know how they play handball, but you don't know their personalities and characters. It's very interesting to get to know them off the pitch. I think we have a team this year that works very well together. The newcomers have been very well received and have been able to be themselves from an early stage – that's a great strength and what makes a good team. After all, it's not always easy being away from your family. As for me, as I said, I'm now one of the older players. That's also new for me. What hasn't changed, though, are the BVB fans: they've been with us through all the ups and downs during the season. That gives us strength and power."
Speaking of power and strength: let's talk about pressure and how to manage it. This season is not just about the number of games in the league, cup, European League and, if we qualify, the European Championship in November and December, but also about how we perform over time. The new play-off format means you don't actually have to be at your peak until spring, but at the same time you can't let too much time pass before then either...
Vollebregt: "The teams playing in the Champions League have two games a week from the start – so it could be an advantage for us to have normal weeks with one game and plenty of training to get us going. But as the season progresses, it will be really important to listen to your body and to all the players. Sometimes we'll have to take it down a gear between games. With the new play-off format in mind, we won't need to be at our best until the very end of the season, which is a new challenge. But our coaching team is so experienced that we'll handle it well. All of us together will do a good job."
van Maurik: "I can only agree with that: it's going to be a challenge. It's a long run-up to the point when we need to be at our best, and at the same time we have to win our games right now. It's not as if the season starts in the spring of next year. So we'll take good care of each other to get both done."
You said it: the season started a long time ago. And at the beginning, there was an overarching topic in addition to handball training: team building. Not only did you have four new players to integrate, but also two long-term injuries after cruciate ligament ruptures in Dana Bleckmann and Lena Degenhardt, as well as three Olympic athletes in Sarah Wachter, Lisa Antl and Carmen Campos.
"One advantage of the comparatively soft start with one game per week is that we can use the time to bring all the players, including those who have not been able to complete the preparation, up to the same level. We will need everyone. It wouldn't make sense to have a starting seven that plays everything – and then by the time we get to the play-offs, they're dead. We have to spread the load across many shoulders. Getting all the players fit and at the same level, so that each one is ready at any time, is a good strategy and could become the absolute strength of Borussia Dortmund this season."
What did you do during preseason for team building?
Vollebregt: "It was a slightly different preseason than normal because of the Olympics. It was only gradually that all the players came together. We started with a small group. We went to Winterberg for a few days, shared everything, quickly spent a lot of time together off the pitch and got to know each other..."
...in the bars and clubs of the Sauerland region.
Husebø: "No, while hiking, cycling and playing mini golf – we didn't start dancing until the training camp in Denmark."
Last summer, the head of department Rupert Thiele said that this team should more or less have what it takes to become German champions. What are your goals for the season?
Vollebregt: "When I first came here, we simply won everything for two years. Against this background, a draw in the first game of the season was very costly. But now we have the new play-off mode, and that's why I say: basically, a lot is possible. Of course we want to play for the title, but it's not a sure thing. We have a lot of players to integrate, we still have to improvise here and there. We still need a bit of time. The play-off format is good in this respect too, because we can now work together and grow together, in order to reach our best level of performance in the spring. But again: of course we want to win – and we will work hard to achieve that."
Husebø: "To underline this: BVB did not qualify for the Champions League last season – we want to change that this year. We want revenge and qualification for the premier league, because it is the best stage for every single player and for the entire club."
At the beginning – shortly after the question about your favourite colour – you characterised yourselves: Kelly, for example, defined her role in the team in terms of her experience. So much for self-awareness. But how do the others see you? Guro, what do you see in Kelly?
Husebø: "To me, Kelly is like a big sister. She makes me feel safe and secure. She is interested in others; she approaches the younger players; she asks how you are doing. And she never loses her nerve on the pitch."
Kelly, what do you think of Alieke?
Vollebregt: "Alieke is still young and travelling abroad for the first time, so of course she still has to find her place. But – and I can say this right away: she is a completely different type of player; one that we haven't had in the team before, and that makes her extremely valuable. And: as the youngest, she carries the balls. That's important too..."
Alieke, what does Déborah give the team?
van Maurik: "Déborah is an extraordinary player; she is very fast and brings incredible power to the table in one-on-one situations. She can make all the difference in close games. It was no coincidence that she was the one who scored the equaliser seconds before the end of the first game against Buxtehude, saving the one point. Away from the court, she is open, warm and entertaining. Déborah, I think your English is very good."
Lassource: "Oh, thank you. I think it's my turn to say something about Guro. That's easy: Guro brings a lot of joy, Norwegian friendliness, light-heartedness and positivity to the team. She addresses all the players and involves them. And she's a really good dancer... In short, Guro is just Guro."
Husebø: "Best answer. Thank you for the interview."
Lassource: "Yes, thank you – and by the way: my favourite colours are black and yellow."