Louisa Lippmann looks ahead for Germany

Lausanne, Switzerland, March 27, 2018 - “Point-scoring machine” Louisa Lippmann is one of the leaders of the German women’s team. When she made her international debut back in 2014, she promptly won the international tournament in Montreux, progressed to the final of the European League and finished ninth at the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Italy.

Lippmann has continued to grow into her role as a linchpin of the German squad. On the German club volleyball scene, she has won three titles in a row and was named female volleyballer of the year in Germany in 2017.

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Speaking in an exclusive interview, Louisa Lippmann talked about the new FIVB Volleyball Nations League, the development of volleyball and her personal goals in the sport.

How important is the new Volleyball Nations League to you and your team this year?
Lippmann: At the moment, we are lagging a little behind the big volleyball nations. As such, the Volleyball Nations League plays an enormous role in our schedule. Matches at this level are very important to our German team, particularly during this transitional period for our team.

What do you think about the new format of the Volleyball Nations League?
Lippmann: The format is very interesting, as everyone plays against everyone and has at least 15 matches at the highest level. Staging such a big tournament on different continents is exactly the right way to develop the sport.

What are your goals for the Volleyball Nations League? Which teams will be your toughest opponents?
Lippmann: I want to perform well every week, learn from our opponents and win as many matches as possible with Germany. We will be the clear underdogs against the favourites from the world ranking list. For us, it is primarily important to win against the challenger teams Argentina, Belgium, the Dominican Republic and Poland.



How important is the Volleyball Nations League as a preparation for the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championships?
Lippmann: There is no better preparation than the Volleyball Nations League for the upcoming World Championship in Japan. You spend a full month taking on the top teams, which is ideal preparation.

What are the goals of the German national team for the Women's World Championship?
Lippmann: Our main goal is to make it into the second round. From there, we will take it one match at a time.

What could volleyball make even more interesting for players and fans in the future?
Lippmann: I think volleyball should be given even more media coverage, and the spectators and fans should be provided with statistics and commentary during the match. Volleyball has to be made more accessible for the spectator.

What do you think about the technical innovations in volleyball?
Lippmann: Volleyball has developed with the challenge system, which has made it more exciting for players and spectators alike. In the future, even more live statistics could help the sport develop further. They would also give the spectators a better insight into the game.

Which of your successes so far do you rate as the the most important?
Lippmann: My successes so far have mainly been national titles with my clubs. Winning the German championship with SSX Palmberg Schwerin in 2017 was the biggest success so far for me.



What dreams and goals do you still have as a volleyball player?
Lippmann: I want to improve as a player, and to become a dominant player in my position. My goal is to play in the Olympics, win a medal at a major event with the Butterflies [the German women's team] and, at club level, to win the Champions League. With regard to the question of how long I intend to play for, we can chat about that again in ten years’ time ;).

How big is volleyball in Germany?
Lippmann: Unfortunately, volleyball only plays a minor role in the public eye in Germany. We should look more at our neighbours and see how to raise public awareness of the league and federation. What I like is that we have a great fan culture in the halls in Germany, and often play in front of sell-out crowds. I was a late starter and found my way into volleyball through athletics. Volleyballers are not often recognised on the streets and are just normal people in Germany.

Would you like to play for a club in another country one day?
Lippmann: Yes, I want to play abroad and gain experience, discover new cultures and learn different volleyball philosophies. I find the prospect of testing myself against top players from other countries on a daily basis very attractive.