A few days ago I met some old friends, friends of my son's who I've known since we were little.

They're grown up now, and it was nice to see that their friendship hasn't diminished one bit.

Growing up, growing together, they are in sports.

I saw her again at a wedding, my son's wedding.

One of the friends had a photo of two tiny people holding tennis rackets that were far too large, with a small, soft ball between them.

At that time we had a great man in the club, the teacher Blechschmidt, who took care of the little ones and introduced them to tennis with a lot of love and patience (without financial interests, you have to mention that in tennis).

He laid the foundation for his boys and girls to become strong tennis players over the years.

You don't miss anything

Another friend didn't have a photo with him, but I remembered him perfectly.

Although from Hesse, he was one of the best freestyle skiers I've ever seen in his youth.

He traveled a lot with my son, who is a snowboarder.

Now I met the two friends from back then and soon we got talking about tennis and skiing.

What has become of it now with a job and little time?

He doesn't actually play anymore, said the tennis player.

Why?

Well, he doesn't have the training, he doesn't have the right opponents.

And just for fun?

Well, you know, he said, how we used to play tennis.

It didn't have that much to do with leisure activities.

And honestly, I don't feel like hitting a little ball.

The freestyle skier has also put his skis in the corner.

broken knee

How much does it hurt when something in sport that you have mastered so well is passé?

Not that much, he said.

Because at some point the biggest ski jumps would be too big for everyone.

At some point everyone has to make the leap.

The fact that in his case it became necessary relatively early is no reason to complain, as it also offers an opportunity.

The chance not to always do the same thing, what you do best, but to reorient yourself.

Almost starting all over again.

Both the tennis player and the skier have found a new passion.

Independently of each other, they switched to racing bikes.

One in Munich, from where he collects 8,000 kilometers a year and many meters of altitude, the other in Berlin, where he mostly does his laps on the Tempelhofer Feld in a concrete city.

My impression was: you don't miss anything.