It doesn't always have to be the sports boarding school. An insight into Linda Bock's career path.
Sports boarding school, yes or no? This question was very present for me at the age of 15/16. Many voices from coaches, teammates and parents bombarded me. I had the option of moving to Münster, to VCO Münster, or to VCO Berlin. There were many arguments for it, but also many arguments against it. In my case, this was perhaps an exception, but I had a club right on my doorstep, the Skurios Volleys Borken, that played in the second northern league. And above all, played successfully. Another strong argument was that I could train with older and more experienced teammates in Borken and learn a lot from their experiences.
A clear negative aspect was that school and training were not centrally connected at my location, as I went to the municipal Gymnasium Remigianum in Borken.
The combination of school and sport is still characterized by a high level of training. It was clear that I could not cover this level of training and the training intensity here at home. As an absolute family person, however, I finally heard
I followed my gut feeling and finally decided to stay in Borken, finish my Abitur there, get my driver's license and play in the 2nd Bundesliga North.
In the summer months, I always had the youth national team program. In 2017, the coaches and those in charge wanted to convince me again of the VCO Berlin project, but my gut feeling told me that I should finish my high school diploma in Borken. Unfortunately, without wanting to offend anyone, I have to say that VCO Berlin had always lost in the first volleyball league in those years and usually went home without a chance after the games. I didn't want that! I thought, without knowing it, that this constant losing would "destroy" me.
In my last year in Borken in 2018, also the year in which I graduated from high school, a new door opened for me. My big goal was always to play in the 1st Bundesliga. Then the offer came from USC Münster. My eyes sparkled immediately and I wanted to go there straight away. After the first conversations, which sounded very confident, my dream became reality. In May 2018, the month in which I finally turned 18, I was able to drive to training sessions on my own and was no longer dependent on my parents. A month later I moved to Münster and was part of the first professional team. I signed a two-year contract as a libero. In my first year, in which Lisa Thomsen (current coach there) was always in front of me, I was able to be introduced to professional life step by step, especially by her.
At the end of the season, it was suddenly announced that I was needed as an attacker. From then on, I was in the starting six as a wing/receiver. This position was not unfamiliar to me, as I had already played it in Borken. Nevertheless, it was a huge difference to attack against a block in the first or second Bundesliga. In my second season at USC, the 2019/20 season, I played entirely as a libero. During the course of this season, everything pointed to a contract extension. I then signed for another year with USC, also as a libero. But at the end of the season, when I was supposed to play as an attacker again, I injured my knee and was out of action for a few months after the operation.
But a new door opened again. In 2021, I really moved across Germany. This time not to Berlin, but to Dresden to Dresdner SC. Here I signed for two years as a libero. But, as we already know, things like that can change quickly. And that's what happened. During the preparation, an attacker was seriously injured and was out for the entire season. I was then sent back onto the field as an attacker. The following year, I was even offered a new position as an outside attacker. I accepted this and spent my last year in Dresden, which we again finished in 3rd place and thus the bronze medal.
Since this season (2023) I play in the colors blue and yellow for SSC Palmberg Schwerin.
So from west to east, to the north. I have also signed a two-year contract here and am looking forward to the adventure!