Trip of a Lifetime III: Säbener Straße and Bayern II

Säbener Straße and Kurt Landauer Foundation

For Friday evening Bayern once again provided transportation to two additional events. First we were wisked off to the Säbener Straße where we were greated by Simon Müller who gave the DC Bayern fan group an introduction to and description of who the Kurt Landauer foundation are and the work that they do.

Despite the weather being less than ideal with very strong winds and dropping temperatures, Mr. Müller captivated the American audience as he impressed upon them the importance of both Kurt Landauer to FC Bayern’s history and the work he and his organization, alongside the Schickeria, do for the community to promote social awareness and values to the club.

FC Bayern II vs TSV Buchbach

Following his presentation and some photos with both the Kurt Landauer statue and in front of the Säbener Straße, we all hopped back on the bus to attend the Bayern II match against Buchbach at the Grünwalder Stadion.

Once again, this was something that I personally was extremely excited about. First of all, I had never been to the Grünwalder Stadion and I was excitied to see the historic grounds that Bayern played on for so long.

The Magic of Youth

Secondly, I had always been interested in attending a Bayern II match. Having played sports through University myself, I find that watching players and teams at different levels of development to be fascinating.

As much as I enjoy watching the first team and seeing the sport played at the highest level, there is something about seeing the game and players at a level below. There’s a purity to it that is missing at times with professionals.

Every player on the pitch is fighting for their dream. They can’t afford to take a day off or have a bad game. Egos face reality checks and effort is never in question.

While each of the players are at different stages of their development and all of them have different trajectories and potential, they all still have hope and determination as a result.

It is engaging to see the game played with this type of passion. It also provides an opportunity to see the future as some players show more fully why they are so highly thought of. In all honesty, I had no idea whether any of the young players we were more familiar with would be playing that evening.

However, it did not take long before Paul Wanner became very noticeable. After several touches and runs, I looked closer and recognized the wiry youngster. It was clear almost immediately that his movements and skill were on a different level than nearly any other player on the pitch.

Several others including Timo Kern, Liam Morrison, Taichi Fukui and Angelo Brückner had moments that displayed the potential they hold as Bayern II went on to beat Buchbach 3-0 on the night.

Whether any of the players outside of Wanner ultimately play for the first team is of course a massive question, but there is hope and potential. That is all you need and that is what makes watching the Amateures so interesting.

Supporters

Finally, there were the supporters who were in full voice for the entirety of the 90 minutes. The passion and dedication to go out and support the youth players on a Friday evening in the bitter cold is inspiring.

While I have no way of knowing for sure, it’s almost impossible to think that the players themselves don’t appreciate this immensely. Having a crowd cheering for you and providing that level of support gives you extra motivation as a player.

Especially on cold windy nights like the one in question, the crowd can give you the extra push needed to play your best.

As a fan of sports in general, it is experiences like this that remind you how romantic the game can be. The players with so much on the line. The supporters who are there for the love of the club and game. It is nights like this that reinforce and remind you why you love sports to begin with.

Come back tomorrow for the final part of this series as the DC supporters head back to the Allianz to meet a Bayern legend, attend the Bundesliga match against FC Augsburg and finally an open training session on Sunday.