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'Orsten' goes Fistball

• What is fistball?

This is a mainly Germany-based team game long played but now a little on decline due to the new, more modern-fashioned games. It can be played indoors and outdoors. The field is 20 X 50 meters large, divided by a rope at 2 m. A line at 3 meters away from the line indicates a border that the hitter must not step over during his start hit after a fault (point to the opponent). There are five players with fixed positions: mostly one or two hitters left and right front, a server in the center and two defenders in the back left and right corners. The rules are slightly those of volleyball, but the ball may touch the ground. Actually, more countries play fistball, at least 7 in Europe. Outside Europe fistball is played for example in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, China, Taiwan, Japan, and even in Namibia, who for example hosted the World Championships of the women in 2009.

• How to play? See the website of the International Fistball Association: Click here
Or the German site of the Deutsche Faustball Liga: Click here


Dieter at the German Championships in Stuttgart 2009, Senior League M55.	Dieter's team of the SSV Ulm at the German Championships in Stuttgart 2009, Senior League M55.	The team.

Hobby Tournaments: Only "non-professionals" are allowed, and attending professionals (maximum of two) are allowed to play as defenders only.

Orstenies: The team of the Ulm CORERs (workgroup Biosystematic Documentation), originally including Andreas, Joachim, Christopher, Yu and Dieter, but always needing the help of volunteers because the one or other could not attend. In the years there have been Dieter's children Lena and Christian Waloszek (about always now) and "professional" helpers such as Harald (Bobby) Walter, Andreas Schubert, Lena's friend, Anton (Toni) Köszegi, another of Dieter's team colleagues of the SSV Ulm fistball group, Melanie(Melli) Dommin and Felix Balser, both from Burlafingen. A lot of Orsten stones rolling along, but often with great success, as you can see below.

9) Orstenies became third at 14th Burlafingen Indoors Tournament April 21, 2013

No injuries this time, but only few teams, so that we played only in one of the two halls of the school center. Good fun anyway and really good games, not least because all teams were rather equal and experienced.


The Orstenies team with Christian and Lena Waloszek, Andreas Schubert, Christopher Castellani, Dieter Waloszek, Tobias Reich and Andreas Maas.	The team after receiving the certificate.	Tobias Reich, new player in our team.	The certificate.

8) Second place at 4th summer tournament (Schwörturnier) in Ulm, July 14, 2012

Low chances to find a team this time, Joachim gone Yu in Munich, Lena on a world trip, Chris in Berlin, and so so........ But suddenly Yu said yes, and Chris too, and we could attract Felix from Burlafingen to join in: a powerful team. So we registered, and won the first round. The Aschkipf, our problem for years, out of the race. Yet there were still the 3 1/2, a team of three people (all professionals....) seeking always volunteers. Yu, Christopher and Chris helped – and made them become our final opponents. There they got help from the very best of the other teams, and we had an exhausted Yu, an exhausted Christopher and an exhausted Chris ............ You can imagine how the game ended: 2nd, and not the first place.... Yet a superb day, superb weather, really good games and real fun, including little MIlli, my grandchild watching us. Fistball is great fun – try out yourself!!!


The Orstenies team with Felix Balser, Christopher Castellani, Andreas Maas, Yu Liu, Dieter and Christian Waloszek.	The team after receiving the certificate	The certificate.

7) Orstenies became 7th at 13th Indoors Fistball Hobby Tournament in Burlafingen Jan. 14, 2012

This tournament we could form a really good team, so i a way having good chances to repeat the success of 2010. Yet the system of grouping and selection and a lost game in the first round made it happen that we could play only in the looser group. There we won all games and received the seventh rank – sold under value..........


The Orstenies team with Andreas Maas, Andreas Schubert, Lena Waloszek, Christian Waloszek, and Christopher Castellani.	The team 2012 including Dieter (on the right).	The certificate.

6) The Orstenies won the 3rd fistball summer tournament in Ulm, July 16, 2011!

Unexpectedly the Orstenies could form a team again, although Andreas and Joachim could not join in. However, Yu and Christopher agreed immediately, and Dieter could attract his children Lena and Christian again. Finally also Melanie, in short Melli, a "professional" from the fistball club in Burlafingen, agreed to become an "orsteni". Best weather, pure sun, no wind, and a nice green were the excellent conditions for the tournament – and: After winning against the two supposed-to-be strongest competitors, we lost our third game but still made it into the final. This was the hardest game of all, and the Orstenies were behind in the first set and won finally and also in the second set, sometimes with no less than four points behind. In the dramatic two last minutes, they fighted as mad and won at last. For the first time, therefore, Dieter could receive the prize of the winner of this summer competition, and lucky Lena got the prize for the "best and most engaged woman player".........

Christopher hitting and serving ................Lena in action Yu hitting .....................................

The complete team with Lena and Melli sitting, and Yu (plus daughter Nanyan), Christopher, Dieter and Christian, .......................Lena defending Melli serving .................Dieter after defence

Finalists Trainingsweltmeister & Orstenies .. The winners ...Dieter receiving the certificate .. team again

no participation winter 2011 in Burlafingen

no participation summer 2010 in Ulm

5) Orstenies won the 11th Indoors Fistball Hobby Tournament in Burlafingen, April 10, 2010

This time our workgroup team had not trained hard because of lack of possibilities, only Andreas and Christopher had one go. This time, the team hired Toni Köszegi from Dieter's seniors team as a guest player, because Lena and Christian Waloszek could not join in. And it was really good luck because Dieter hurt himself badly already after three minutes, so had to be exchanged. Nevertheless, th efirst game got lost. Then all other games in the first round were won, and the semifinal was reached as no 2nd. There the Orstenies beated the Hausmeisters, the favourite team that had won already three times, by one ball. In the final, the Orstenies won again with one ball and became, for the first time winner not only of the Burlafingen Competition, but all tournaments they have participated in.


The Orstenies team with Joachim, Andreas, Yu, Christopher, Toni (guest player) and Dieter	The lucky winners receiving the cup and champagne.	The cup

4) Orstenies became 5th at 2nd Fistball Hobby Competition (Schwörturnier) in Ulm, July 18, 2009

For their fourth competition the team had trained hard and was ready to win ........ For this they hired Lena Waloszek again, who was currently on term holidays, and her friend Andreas – but it did not help: Joachim got knee problems and could not play (as in summer 2008), and, even more serious: several teams were simply better. In the end, we made it only to the fifth, but we had very good games and fun.

The team before the start: Lena, Andreas, Joachim, Yu, Christopher and Dieter.

3) Orstenies became 3rd at 10th Indoors Fistball Hobby Tournament in Burlafingen, March 8, 2009

In spring 2009 the Orstenies team became 3rd at the fistball tournament in Burlafingen, a great step forward after the ninth before. After two matches won and one lost they made it into the second round but lost very unluckily agaist the "Hausmeister" with a single point difference. Therefore they could play only for the third rank, which they won clearly.


The Orstenies team with Andreas, Dieter, Christopher, Bobby (our guest player), Joachim and Yu	somewhat exhausted after a lost game	the certificate

2) Orstenies became 2nd at 1st Outdoor Schwörturnier in Ulm, July 19, 2008

In summer 2008, the Orstenies team, without Joachim, who was ill, became 2nd at the first outdoor hobby fistball tournament in Ulm. They made it nicely into the final but after two matches without clear winner, the third and last match should make it – and the Orstenies were regrettably less successful..... Simply not experienced enough yet.

All participating teams from left to right: The Noses, The Jägerettes, the Orstenies, the Böfinger Fäustlinge, and the members of the skiing school Aschkipf. T the right: the finalists: rstenies and the ASCHKIPF	Certificate no. 2
The Orstenies team with Andreas, Yu, Christopher, Dieter and his fistball colleague Bobby (Joachim was regrettably ill). Right: Christpher trying hard.

1) Orstenies became 9th at 9th fistball hobby tournament in Burlafingen, March 2, 2008

The Team Ulm started the competition with Joachim, Yu, Dieter and the three guest collaborators, Dieters children Lena and Christian, and Bobby, one of Dieter's colleagues of the SSV Ulm fistball-teams. Joachim had merely the Friday before to train a little, and Yu had three training units, so it was exciting to see how they would make it. The 13 teams played in two groups, and, although our team called "Orstenies" had a nice phrase "Orstenarna ska vinna" (the orstens shall win), we became only fifth in our group – winning two games, but loosing 4. The game about the 9th rank was however won fairly easily. It was big fun and finally, we made nice pictures of the team in our CORE t-shirts finally.


The Orstenies team shouts its call "Orstenar ska vinna", which sound like Swedish and should means "The orstenies shall win".	Joachim and Yu testing ball and ground.	Note the huge dimensions of the play field of 25 X 20 m.

All five players in action: Christian Waloszek on left, Yu behind him, Bobby, Lena Waloszek and Joachim (Dieter coaching in this match).	Yu jumping to hit the ball (serving).	Congratulations after the final match, which was won. After all we made to rank 9 out of 13
Left: The starting team; middle: certificate; right: the complete team after Chris joined in.	Certificate no. 1

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Last revision: April 30, 2013