For some of our younger athletes, June 9, 2026, was the day they stepped onto the court for a real basketball game for the very first time. Suddenly, there was an opposing team, a scoreboard, and decisions that had to be made within seconds.
At the primary school basketball tournament in Klosterneuburg, two of our teams with children from 1st to 4th grade took to the court, accompanied by Montessori educator Susanne Wannenmacher and Christopher, a basketball-enthusiast father from our school community.
What had been practiced in preparation sessions with a coach from BK Klosterneuburg now had to come together on the court. There was passing, shooting, and defending. The children cheered each other on, celebrated baskets scored, and didn't let themselves get discouraged when a shot missed the mark.
In the end, they could also celebrate their rankings: our U10 team took 1st place, and our U8 team finished in 4th place.
The children were thus able to celebrate a repeat victory. Because, as BK Klosterneuburg reported, GALEMO's U10 team had already won the tournament—which brought together around 120 participating children—the previous year.
Yet at least as important as the result was everything that happened along the way: competing in a tournament for the first time. Dealing with excitement and nerves. Making decisions under pressure. Supporting one another. Winning, losing, and playing on.
And walking off the court after the final game with a wealth of new experience.
A special thank you goes especially to BK Klosterneuburg and its youth coaches, who organize this annual highlight for all primary school children in Klosterneuburg with such great passion.
