EUSA Insider:
Tobias Reich
Age: 28
Place of Birth: Viersen, Germany
University: University of Duisburg-Essen (GER)
Published: 27 March 2018
Briefly describe how and why did you get involved in Handball?
Well, I´ve started playing handball when I was 8 years old. Before I’ve started playing handball I used to play football. Almost the whole team switched from football to handball. Handball has always been more fascinating game for me. Additionally I was a bit more talented in playing handball and my father played it as well, when he was young.
"Without playing handball I would miss something. Therefore, it is a kind of compensation to my study and work life."
What do you study? How do you balance your study, trainings and competitions?
I am studying business administration with the specification in accounting & finance. In my case, it is hard sometimes to handle my study, work and playing handball. But without playing handball I would miss something and I would be less productive. Therefore, it is a kind of compensation to my study and work life.
Tell us about your experience of the European Universities Championships 2017. Is this your first time at an EUSA event?
It was the first time that my team and I participated in such a tournament. We never expected to play the finals. Our biggest advantage was the team-spirit, which I´ve not experienced before in this way. Every single one of the team was fighting during the games. And that’s why we reached the final, even though we did not have the best players. In addition, it was exhausting and very intense to play 5 games within 7 days. Without our physiotherapist, we would not have come this far.
At the end, it was a pity that we lost the final against a strong team from Romania. But that’s the way it is. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. And to be honest we have been the only team in the tournament that has beaten the Romanians (during the preliminary round). After a couple of hours the bother and disappointment was almost gone, so we focused on having fun with other teams. And here we have shown a great team performance as well!
All in all it was a great, unique and outstanding experience and I wouldn’t want to miss it.
"To do the favourite sport, representing your own university and getting to know people from different countries is a great experience and an honour at the same time."
In 2018 the European Universities Games 2018 will take place in Coimbra, Portugal, do you hope to be there? Why do you think university sport events are important?
Of course, I hope to participate in Coimbra as well. I think that the European Games are much bigger event than the 2017 Championships and therefore even more interesting.
To do the favourite sport, representing your own university and getting to know people from different countries is a great experience and an honour at the same time.
This is your chance! What is your message to European students like yourself?
Meeting people from different countries who share the same passion for the sport is one of the biggest experiences I´ve ever had.
If you have the chance to participate at the EUSA games just do it. You will see it´s worth it.
EUSA would like to congratulate Tobias and the rest of his team on silver medal in Antequera and we hope to see him again at an EUSA competitions in the future!
Find out more about Coimbra 2018.
