Step by step with Borger/Kozuch

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After the sand had settled on the 2016 Olympic season, new teams are in the making. In our new blog series “Making the Team”, Ninja Priesterjahn accompanies these new teams into the upcoming beach volleyball season. Expect exciting episodes with exclusive insights on trainings, backstage stories and entertaining chapters on becoming a team. First off, Karla Borger had to find a new partner. Step forward indoor sensational Maggie Kozuch. As the pair embark on their new partnership, Ninja Priesterjahn was granted exclusive access for the Swatch Major Series to find out how their preparation for the 2017 season is going.

Thinking out of the box helps us to experience things we never had. Margareta Kozuch was thinking beyond her sport when she decided to stop indoor volleyball in October. Now she is ready to conquer the beach volleyball scene with Karla Borger at her side. Last week, the new team gave its first interview – and they did it extraordinarily during a basketball match. 

Karla Borger and Maggie Kozuch at the Champions League match of MHP-Riesen Ludwigsburg. Credit: Borger/Kozuch

Maggie knows a lot about basketball as her boyfriend plays professionally in Italy. But their first interview and public appearance came after the partnership took their first steps on the sand together. Their Facebook page has been running since October – giving further evidence of the emergence of this new team Borger/Kozuch.

Wir sharen mit Euch unser erstes Foto im Sand 😎 #happy #beachvolleyball #preseason

See this Instagram photo by @beachteamborgerkozuch * 111 likes

“It worked out very well, I am looking forward to a great time,” said a happy Karla, who celebrated her 28th birthday on Tuesday. “This week has been thrilling, having a new warm-up partner alone, but to see Maggie moving through the sand has been awesome, that makes me enthusiastic.”

Her partner realized first of all: “Sand, sand, sand, everywhere,” Maggie laughs. Besides that, she passed the first sessions in Stuttgart with flying colors. Karla has been so kind to start gently with her. It may have had something to do with the weather conditions, but we think they played indoor to make Maggie feel familiar with the walls and the ceiling, so that she didn’t have to fight with the wind. To get used to the new ground has been challenging enough anyway.

finally...warm welcome to our first picture 🤗 what comes next? 🤓 #team #blueeyes #conquer #adidas #giveyouwings

See this Instagram photo by @beachteamborgerkozuch * 85 likes

“At the moment I still have to learn a lot and I am really looking forward to the moment when things become natural,” Maggie says. “Until then I need patience and the wonderful encouragement of Karla — especially when the indoor lady at her side tries to jump high and gets stuck in the sand. Playing with Karla at my side is so refreshing and I cannot believe how much I can learn just monitoring her movements.”

We will accompany the two athletes on their way and keep you posted about the challenges they will meet during the next weeks.