|
Arnold Mueller in the media |
|
|
|
26.07.2007
Following story has been published in the "Ostfriesen-Zeitung" in the Sports section. It wasn't only there where our export to Canada attracted attention. At the same time the public radio station NDR1 produced a story about our "young" National Team Member. How to become a member of the National Team by accident
By Sebastian Bete SHUFFLEBOARD Arnold Mueller is from East Frisia, lives in Canada and represents Germany during the World Championships. The 70-year-old Arnold was raised in Klein-Remels and emigrated to Brockville 48 years ago. In August he wears the black-red-gold German National Team shirt.
Klein-Remels / Brockville - It's one of those stories, only life can tell.
An absolute accident, no one could have planned it. 48 years ago, Arnold Mueller emigrated to Canada, left his homeland in East Frisia as a 22 year old man. Now, at the age of 70, he will be wearing the shirt of the German National Team: as a Suffleboard player.
The phone cracks. „Yes. Hello“, it sounds dull at the other end. „Oh, from Deutschland. Hallo“, says Arnold Mueller. There are lying approximately 3800 miles, 10 flight hours between him in his small Canadian town Brockville and his home in Germany. „Yes, I represent Germany at the Shuffleboard World Championships“, says Mueller. And his neighbour is to be made responsible for it.
„He knows the ropes in Shuffleboard and he knew that Germany needed another player to complete their team“, the 70 year old explains and adds: „I still have my German Birth Certificate.“ Therefore a few emails were written, a few phone calls were made. Three weeks ago Mueller traveled to Germany, met his teammates in Nordhorn: for a Team meeting, to get known to each other, to play some Shuffleboard. And that is what Mueller does really good.
„Here in Canada it's popular to everyone“, he says. A friend took him to a match years ago. And Mueller loved it. He sticked to it, played again and again. Twice a week he practises, but only if he is in Brockville. Five months of a year the 70 year old retired lives in Florida. „In a small summer house“, he says. And there the East Frisian shoots the discs across the board day by day.
From time to time he visits his homeland, the 180 inhabitants village of Klein-Remels. „Every two, three years I come over for a family party“, he says. But 48 years ago he just wanted to leave. „At that time I was young and pretty, wanted to see something different“, he says and laughs. And that is what he did. He lives in Canada and the USA, is retired, married with four children and soon wears the black-red-gold shirt. „The World Championships start August 12th“, he says. And as luck would have it, the 70 year old doesn't have to drive very far. He says: „The Championships are played in Midland, the same state as my current residence Brockville. What a coincidence.“
|
