Sports & Health

Increase Your Frustration Tolerance Through Bouldering

Life at Boarding School, News, Sports & Health

The Steinmühle Boarding School’s Climbing Club meets every week at the Marburg climbing gym. They start in the bouldering area. Bouldering is rope-free climbing at a height from which you can jump down. It requires coordination, dexterity, strength, and endurance, but also a great deal of perseverance and repetition. Only then can the routes ultimately be conquered. A high tolerance for frustration is essential, as is the ability to work together with others—through interaction and communication—to tackle the often difficult crux of a route and finally overcome it. Applying these skills to school and everyday life is a key educational focus here.

Rope climbing usually takes place during the second part of the workshop. For the past two weeks, the participants have been practicing how to belay the climber on their own and have already been doing so independently. Everyone belays with great confidence and reliability. Now it’s all about: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

Overcoming Fear, Building Trust

Lead climbing is also a new concept. In lead climbing, you must carry the rope—which serves as a safety line in case of a fall—up the wall with you as you climb. This approach differs from top-roping, where the rope is already attached at the top. Both lead climbing and belaying the lead climber are significantly more difficult and demanding than top-roping. Here, too, the process of trial and error—failing and trying again and again—is of central importance, alongside overcoming one’s own fear, trusting others, and taking responsibility for others.

Competition in May

The highlight of May will be the boarding schools’ BoulderCup. The Steinmühle Boarding School’s climbing club will travel to this year’s host, the Lietz Boarding School at Schloss Bieberstein. Our students are already excited and will continue to practice diligently until then.

31. March 2019

“A great week that we’ll never forget”

Class Trips, Field Trips, and School Outings, News, Sports & Health

Anna Dinges (Class 8a) wrote the following report about her grade’s school ski trip:

On January 18, the 8th-grade class and eleven chaperones gathered early in the morning in the schoolyard at Steinmühle amid freezing temperatures to set off for a week-long school ski trip to Mayrhofen in the Zillertal. What made this year special was that all three homeroom teachers for the grade—Rosie Boebel, Gisela Opper, and Frank Wemme—came along. That hadn’t been the norm before. The mood was lively as the large tour bus pulled out of the schoolyard at 6 a.m.

After a long bus ride, we finally arrived. After taking the yellow gondolas up to the Gschößwandhaus at about 1,800 meters, everyone was thrilled by the fantastic view of the valley from up there. Room assignments went smoothly, since groups had already formed beforehand that wanted to share one of the cozy rooms with four to fifteen beds.

The next day, we finally got started with skiing. While the advanced students were already exploring the large ski area, the beginners had their first experiences on skis in front of the Gschößwandhaus under the patient guidance of several instructors. They quickly overcame their initial difficulties and made rapid progress, so that after just a few days they were able to ski on blue runs and, by the end, even some red runs. Before long, everyone was able to ski down the “Steinmühlenweg”—the trail leading back home from the slopes—which made them all very proud.

Many activities were planned for the evening to wrap up the day together. The program included, for example, a disco by the campfire under the open sky, interesting talks about skiing, snow soccer, nighttime sledding, and room cleanup sessions. Ms. Boebel took care of the sick and injured—fortunately, there weren’t too many of them—and kept everyone in good spirits. That way, even those who didn’t ski didn’t get bored.

After a wonderful week—which flew by far too quickly thanks to all the great activities and the cheerful, friendly teachers—we left the Gschößwandhaus and set off for Steinmühle. It was a fantastic week for all of us, one we won’t forget anytime soon!

15. March 2019

Prevention Day Against Drunk Driving

News, Sports & Health

This issue isn’t just important during Carnival season, but the “fifth season” offers a good opportunity to remind everyone: The limit is zero per mille when driving! As part of the annual prevention program, students in the entire 11th grade were shown just how deadly drinking and driving can be. Senior Police Inspector Tobias Decher from the Regional Traffic Service based in Cölbe introduced the BOB campaign. The idea is that at parties where people still need to drive home afterward, a designated driver who remains sober should be chosen in advance to ensure everyone gets home safely. The alternatives are a taxi or public transportation.

Alcohol Metabolism and Driving Ability

On the day of the prevention program, the class was divided into two groups. Tobias Decher explained the dangers of drunk driving, driving even under the influence of small amounts of alcohol, the process of alcohol metabolism, and driving ability. The students were also able to get an idea of what vehicles involved in accidents can look like through a photo presentation. The presentation also included cases in which, tragically, passengers were killed or seriously injured as a result of drunk driving. The aim is to foster understanding through deterrence.

The prevention event was led by Nicole Hohm and Heike Rabben-Martin. Businesses, clubs, and organizations can support the BOB campaign www.aktion-bob.de.

14. March 2019

Equestrian Brunch as a Weekend Special

News, Sports & Health, Steinmühle Riding School

For eight boarding school students, last weekend was all about horseback riding. In a wonderful atmosphere, they enjoyed the equestrian brunch together—an event that certainly looks like it’s worth repeating.

First, the riders focused on the athletic portion of the event. Guided by experienced riders and riding instructor Beate Schridde, the program included a group riding lesson. This involved setting up the jumping obstacles in the indoor arena and preparing the horses. Then they got started. The riders tackled the individual obstacles with full concentration.

Horseback Rides and Vaulting Planned

After the sports activities, all the horses were cared for. Everyone enjoyed a brunch at the Reiterstübchen afterward and watched the Shetland ponies romp around in the indoor arena.

During the meeting, additional ideas were discussed. Horseback riding and vaulting are already firmly planned as weekend activities.

Horseback Riding as Part of Daily Life at Boarding School

Steinmühle Boarding School regularly incorporates horseback riding into its weekly routine. Some students participate in the weekly riding club, while others have access to a horse to ride. The recent event provided an opportunity to devote even more time to this hobby over the weekend.

14. February 2019

From Zero to Silver: Maxim Dyck Rows His Way to Success

Contests & Awards, News, Rowing, Sports & Health

Rowing has a long-standing tradition at Steinmühle Boarding School. Fourteen-year-old boarding student Maxim Dyck seized this opportunity and trained so relentlessly over the past few months that he won the silver medal right off the bat at the Hessian Ergometer Rowing Championships in Frankfurt—and he did so as the youngest competitor in the older 15/16—in his very first official competition!

Before he got into a boat for the first time at the Steinmühle, Maxim had already gained some experience. He took his first strokes on the Moselle near his hometown of Koblenz. From the Rhenania Rowing Club, he brought not only his skills but also a healthy dose of ambition. The new member of the Rudern und Sport (RuS) Steinmühle club quickly decided: I want to achieve something.

Four times a week during practice

No pain, no gain. That’s why this teenager is currently one of the most ambitious athletes in the Steinmühle weight room. He works out there four times a week and accepts that his free time is otherwise rather limited. Little changes in the summer. Then the 14-year-old rows in a single scull and trains at the same pace on the Lahn.

One of Maxim’s role models is RuS athlete Lucas Schäfer. It’s therefore hardly surprising that his goal is to become the Hesse champion himself one day. Just like Lucas, Maxim discovered cycling as a complementary sport to help with his training. “A good complement,” he says.

The fact that the boarding school student feels the RuS coaching staff fully supports his ambitions—and that, in his view, the club offers everything needed for successful rowing—makes it all come together. The fact that his parents support his rowing also gives the young rower a sense of security.

In his report, RuS coach Martin “Stromi” Strohmenger described Maxim as a “promising talent,” so it will be interesting to see how things unfold. The boarding school and rowing club community at Steinmühle will certainly be following Maxim’s activities with interest.

On the left in each photo: Maxim Dyck

15. January 2019