Since the weather forecast had warned already days before about the coming winter outbreak, in preparation of our trip we doubled the estimated travelling time to Oberhausen, which usually is about a three and a half hour drive. As the winter stroke harder than ever expected in the morning of that day our bus travelling company we had hired for this trip declared that it was neither possible nor safe for them to drive. It was not even possible for me to back my car out of my garage. Of course a telephone marathon started at this point. We spoke with police- and traffic-executives who strictly advised us not to go on the road at all. One of our management people, who was on his (early) way to Oberhausen in his car, can only agree on that point. He was stuck on the A8 (freeway) right outside Saarlouis for nearly five hours. He was maybe a 30 minute walk away from my home! Speaking to the DBBL officials it was said we have no other chance than taking the train. We still had to come to Oberhausen otherwise would loose this game automatically. So we started to find an appropriate connection. But the time was working already against us at this point, because with the train it takes nearly six hours to reach Oberhausen including up to three or four times switching the train because there is no direct connection between Saarlouis and Oberhausen of course. But the train company could not guarantee us that we would catch our connecting trains because of problems in the Koblenz area, where we would have to switch trains. There was a chance that we had to take replacement transportation, which means a bus instead of a train and this often leads to even bigger delays. Overall we would have had to switch trains a couple of times and if you miss the first connection, delays usually keep adding up. Missing our 1st connection already would have meant reaching Oberhausen too late and loosing this game anyway.

In addition you have to know that not all of our players live in Saarlouis and could not even make it to the train station due to the weather situation. So the DBBL officials told us that our last chance would be finding an agreement with Oberhausen on rescheduling the game to another date.

We informed the League and Oberhausen right before noon that we could not travel to Oberhausen. We left messages to return our calls as we could not reach any of their officials. By informing them this early, at least Oberhausen could inform their fans and the players and the League could inform the referees. After an initial promise right before 16:00 that day from President Schulz of Oberhausen to reschedule the game and not asking the League for any repercussions against the Royals, he called 3 hours later and reversed his decision. What can I say to this? People should think theirs themselves.
This is the very, very short version of what happened that day in Saarlouis. Our General Manager, our Assistant GM, our treasurer and me spent about the whole day on the phone trying to find a solution. We wanted to play! We were ready to play! We had 10 healthy players and a 10 game winning streak. What reason would there be NOT to play? But the sum of chaotic situations made it impossible for us to reach Oberhausen. By the way: every sporting event in the whole Saarland was cancelled that day!

I am disappointed in the way Oberhausen treated the situation and also by the Leagues decision to punish the Royals for putting safety first. I am ashamed that I coach in a League that obviously thinks, that a simple game of basketball is more important than the safety and health of people. What signal does an organisation give by this decision? Yes, there are rules and they need to be followed. It is common that you get punished when you go against the rules. We did not do so. We tried everything possible. And if people mean that we did go against the rules: does human sense loose to a rule book not fitted for extreme situations like these?

Now looking back afterwards did the Saarlouis Royals made any mistakes that day or in preparation of this away game in Oberhausen?

Spandauw: Hindsight is always 20/20, meaning afterwards you always will be smarter. I can only repeat that it was a totally unexpected situation like we had never experienced it before! You will never be able to be prepared for every situation. There will always be this one percentage left which is impossible to plan. All we were looking for that day was a helping hand from somewhere. But we were left alone.
I will keep saying: in this specific situation at that specific moment our management had to decide between the health of our players and coaches and the possibility of loosing this game just like it happened eventually. Our management made the decision to put health and security first and I support that decision for 100%! I am proud to work for an organisation that makes such a decision and we are still convinced we made the right decision under these explicit circumstances. Keep in mind: we are responsible for a team of young women and we took that responsibility.


Thanks for this explanation, now lets speak about some basketball! Last year you had a record of 17-3 after regular season, became the German Cup Champion and finished as the Championship Runner-up after a dramatic Play Off Finals Series against Wasserburg, but lost over the summer with Desire Almind, Julie Anne Page and Rachel Wojdowski not only your top scorers and top rebounders of the team but furthermore also your experienced import players. To replace them you picked up the 19 year old Dutch Kelly Brugman, 20 year old German Janina Wellers from the 2nd League team in Osnabrueck and two 22 year old Americans, Fantasia Goodwin and Celeste Trahan, both who just graduated from college this summer. This took the average age of the team to 20.6 yrs at the start of the season. Still your team finished the first half of the regular season as the leagues third best team. How pleased are you with the performance of your squad so far in this season?

Spandauw: Before the season started I thought if we win half of our games until Christmas, then things would be in a positive way and we could then see what will be possible as the season continues. But my team surprised me, and a lot of other people. Young returning players like f.i. Romy Bar, made bigger improvements than we could have ever expected and the 4 newcomers all contributed in a way better than hoped for as well. Its a pleasure to work with this talented team.


Under the guidance of Rene Spandauw the Saarlouis Royals improved every year bit by bit. Do you think you can keep this up? As said above you fell short of forcing the ultimate fifth game in the Finals last season against Wasserburg by just three points (73-75 in game four). Are you ready for the Championship?

Spandauw: No, not yet. Lets not get too excited and stay realistic. Right now to me the strongest teams in the league seem to be Wasserburg, Halle and Saarlouis. I still expect a lot more from Oberhausen and Marburg and I do not forget Herne. At this point I think these teams will compete for the Championship. But the Finals are played at the end of April and beginning of May. I cannot say what will happen until there. Maybe another team comes up strong in the Play Offs? Who is healthy? Who will sign more players or replace some?
All I know right now is that the Saarlouis Royals are the youngest team in the league. Our oldest players Isabelle Comtesse and Petra Manakova are both 26 years. The rest is 23 and under! That means me and my Co-Coach Mariusz Dziurdzia are on one hand coaching the most inexperienced team but on the other hand also probably the team with the biggest room for improvement. We will see what happens in the Play Offs. Time is definitely not running against us.


Talking about lack of experience, has this been the reason for your two tough losses by just some points to the leading teams of Wasserburg (95-100 in overtime on 11/28/08) and Halle (73-75 on 11/30/08) within 48 hours?

Spandauw: That definitely has been a key factor. In the game against Wasserburg we were leading by nine points two and a half minutes before the end of the regular 40 minutes. We initially made the mistake of feeling too comfortable with this lead and then started pressing after that little phase. Our team has to learn to keep on executing hard and strong just like the 37 minutes before. Four turnovers in a row in the final minutes of the game were a gift Wasserburg thankfully took.
In Halle the same thing happened again and even worse! We turned the ball over against Wasserburg 26 times (Wasserburg: 21) and in Halle even 30 times (Halle: 15). Its always hard to win games that way. But if our team still has the chance to win both games despite these horrible numbers I think it speaks for itself. If we learn from our mistakes we will return stronger! We are our biggest opponents.


You are in charge in Saarlouis your fifth season now. Before that you were coaching two years in Freiburg. If you compare the basketball that is being played in the league back then and nowadays, what has changed or is the game pretty much still the same? Out of this development can you read some tendencies for the future?

Spandauw: The game definitely has changed a lot in this time. The whole level of basketball as played by the top teams has developed highly. When I think back to the first team I coached in Freiburg back then, I think we would have a hard time in todays DBBL. The game now is way more up-tempo and athletic and with a lot of strength and power. I really believe this development will increase more and more. I also believe and hope!- that the lower rated teams improve more and more. I think the differences between the teams will shrink, which will eventually lead to a more interesting league.


And what road will the Royals take with Rene Spandauw in the upcoming seasons?

Spandauw: I hope the road to participating in the Euro Cup (and eventually Euro League in my wildest dreams) on a yearly basis. This would only be the logical next step for these young players. We will not win the Cup, but it will help to develop our players. I wish we had games like the ones we had past weekend (Wasserburg and Halle) every week, even despite the losses. These are where you learn from and get better.
But of course this planned participation in the Euro Cup is always a question of money. I just hope the club can realize this. Our first goal should be to keep the team together. Then we will enjoy some good times with these young ladies here in Saarlouis.


Thanks Mr. Spandauw for your honest words. Good luck for the further season. Eurobasket will be curious to keep up with the Royals and their development in the future.