MAASLAX INTERVIEW SERIES: LUDWIG RITTER

NEW: Maaslax Interview Series

Interested what being a Lacrosse coach, board member, or player is like? Never seen Lacrosse in real life before? Maaslax would like to introduce you to a number of its coaches, board members, and players. Interesting insights into the team and and the sport are a promise, but check it out yourself!

This interview will be starring Ludwig Ritter, responsible for public relations of Maastricht Lacrosse.

What is your board position at Maastricht Lacrosse?

I am responsible for public relations and the external representation of Maastricht Lacrosse. This includes taking care of the team’s presence on Facebook, updating of our webpage, and the general communication to our players.

Is this your first board position in an association? In your opinion, how does a board position at Maastricht lacrosse differ from similar positions at other associations?

I was already on the Maastricht Lacrosse board last year, where I was responsible for the position of the team treasurer. The Lamas board had a rough stand last year, as it was difficult to ensure a team with constant participation and on-going motivation. Naturally, this had effect on last year’s budget, which however experienced improvements last year already. Apart from having different responsibilities, my current position differs from last year in that we have a much broader board. It seems like our board differentiates itself from other boards by providing a perfect symbiosis: mutual assistance, clearly defined tasks, and great communication.

How would you describe your personal responsibilities towards the team?

I see my tasks towards our team in promoting the team spirit, keeping everybody up to date at all times, and in providing a flawless external communication. As a player ‘from the older generation’, I also try to pass on the traditional values of our team, which have been carried out for the past 15 years. For instance, the philosophy of our ‘Rookie Night’ should and will never change. The same goes for walking dinners, Shamrock nights, or Gaucho’s feasts.

As the oldest lacrosse organization in the Netherlands, Maastricht Lacrosse is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. How would you describe the experience of being “Lama”?

Being a Lama is quite an unusual experience. I think that only very few sport teams in Maastricht are capable of providing an experience that could be compared to that of a (real) Lama. Being a Lama goes far beyond intensive practice, which are held twice a week. The Lamas have built a society in this town, which will hopefully continue to exist over the next decades. While new players are included instantly, the entire team enjoys field trips to other lacrosse teams all over the Netherlands, common parties, Rookie Nights, or walking dinners. The experience I have made over the past 3 years is certainly one I will never forget.

What do you like best about Maastricht Lacrosse?

The team spirit. Maastricht Lacrosse has achieved something that other sport teams would only dream of: the continuity of motivation for the sport, the joy of the community, and the building of life-time friends. This is something quite memorable in my opinion.

In your opinion, what are the biggest improvements within the team since the implementation of the new board?

The biggest improvements are the board meetings every two weeks, when you are supplied with food and drinks. On a serious note, the largest improvement is definitely the chemistry within this board. While our president and vice-president make sure that the most important tasks are tackled by the entire board, all board members seem to improve the functioning of the team day by day. Both internal and external communication is working perfectly this year, and every player is involved in improving the team on and off the pitch. All of these improvements can be directly linked to the distinct organization of this year’s board, which makes the best of this team’s potential.

What could be improved within the organization of the team?

Even though this year’s situation seems to be perfect, there are small nuances that can be improved: especially the men’s team would not suffer from an additional number of players. Constant practice participation is perhaps another point of improvement, even though this aspect has already changed in the positive in comparison to the past years.

Can you think of a team moment to remember?

For me, a memorable moment was one of our Gauchos evenings. Once a month, the men’s team invades this restaurant to ‘enjoy’ their flat-rate spare-ribs, drive the place close to insolvency, and finish the entire kitchen. The night was not only memorable because the waiters refused to serve us after several mountains of spare-ribs, but also because one of our players broke the record of forcing close to 2,5 kg of ribs into his stomach. The subsequent digestion was destined to be in the one and only Caffee D’Alla.