Friday March 29th, 2024 8:49AM

Students learn German and soccer at UNG

DAHLONEGA - While Germany prepared for the 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer final this week, some students in north Georgia learned soccer skills and some German language.<br /> <br /> It was all part of the University of North Georgia's German soccer camp. One of the camp coaches, Malte Krapp is from Germany and plays on the UNG soccer team. <br /> <br /> The campers apparently talked about world cup more than he did, according to Jane O'Gorman with University of North Georgia Continuing Education.<br /> <br /> "Malte told me that he was impressed because he didn't think that our young people knew that much about football as he calls it," O'Gorman said.<br /> <br /> O'Gorman said the camp combined soccer instruction with language learning through both activity and classroom work. It apparently worked, as parents of a student told O'Gorman a story from the week.<br /> <br /> "They had gone to a restaurant for dinner, and their child was speaking German to the people in the restaurant, and somebody actually answered them back and they all understood it," O'Gorman said.<br /> <br /> O'Gorman said Krapp would describe soccer moves in English, then in German and reinforce them throughout practice with the German words.<br /> <br /> "They learned body parts, head, toes, knees, that type of thing, so that when they're out on the soccer field they are able to speak in German and understand each other," O'Gorman said.<br /> <br /> The campers, ages eight to 12, were on the soccer field from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. At 1:30 p.m. they went into classroom instruction.<br /> <br /> As for UNG's connection to Germany through Krapp, O'Gorman said they're pulling for Germany in the cup finals against Argentina.<br /> <br /> "Absolutely, absolutely, we'll be pulling for Germany on Sunday."<br />
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