Mental Strength Leads to Maximum Power

They’re tall, fast, and strong: German handball players. Dominik Klein was one of them and shaped the image of German handball for many years. He celebrated a historic triple crown, is a world champion, a fan favorite, and now an ARD expert for the upcoming European Handball Championship in Germany. But he also knows the dark side of the sport—defeats, injuries, and self-doubt. In this interview, he told us how he dealt with these challenges and what advice he has for young athletes.

Looking back, it’s easy to say: What else could little Dominik have become other than a successful handball player? Dominik grew up in Obernburg, Northern Bavaria—a handball stronghold on the Main River—in a family crazy about handball. He was encouraged by his parents and older brother and is gifted with the necessary talent. But that’s too simplistic. Because in addition to the right environment, talent, hard work, motivation, and a bit of luck, it’s often mental strength that makes the difference. Dominik recognized this early on in his career—perhaps he had to.

When, following his major successes at a young age, he wasn’t selected for the 2010 European Championship by then-national team coach Heiner Brand, he sought support from performance coach Jürgen Boss. And in the end, he found his way back to his former strength.

“It takes that moment of self-reflection to then say: ‘Give me that number.’ During my first conversation with Jürgen, it took less than two minutes before I stood up and showed him what it’s like to play defense.

And all it took was one question: ‘How does it feel?’ He reignited my inner fire. From that moment on, from 2010 to 2018, we’d talk on the phone for two hours before every game—just talking to each other,” says Dominik.

The phone calls always revolved around the core question of how to get yourself into a good state of mind. That’s different for everyone. For Dominik, the key was letting go of things that were weighing on his mind. Staying focused and not getting worked up over teammates or opponents was another factor. After all, he couldn’t influence them anyway, and the energy wasted there might be missing during the decisive phase of the game.

But during the conversations, it was also important to talk about positive things to realize that a lot is actually going well, Dominik emphasizes. Today, Dominik considers the phone calls with his performance coach to be an important piece of the puzzle in his successful career. By the way, Dominik defines success as winning titles repeatedly and maintaining high performance over a long period of time.

“If I were to give a young person some advice today, it would be to talk to someone who maybe isn’t from the world of sports. Just explain to them what you’re actually doing and how it feels.”

Another tip from the ARD expert is to ask yourself what the worst thing that could actually happen is. And the realization that comes from that—at least in sports—is that the worst isn’t really that bad. With this positive mindset, it’s easier to be successful.

That positive attitude also helped Dominik during rehab when he had to fight his way back after a cruciate ligament tear. “From the moment I woke up after surgery, there was only one thing on my mind: no looking back, but rather, ‘Come back stronger!’ That was the hashtag I set for myself. In hindsight, I wouldn’t want to have missed that time, because I learned a lot about myself during it,” says Dominik.

The moment of his comeback—coming off the bench in the final minutes and scoring the game-winning goal—is also a highlight of his career. Understandably so. Here’s the goosebump-inducing moment:

It was always clear that the likable left wing, with his positive and socially conscious outlook on life, would have a career beyond his playing days. He is now the managing director of the Bavarian Handball Association, a motivational speaker for employees and clients, and a sought-after TV expert. Even in these roles, it’s important for Dominik to take time off and rest so he can recharge. Only then can he share his values with the world and pass on the passion and experiences he’s gained throughout his career.

A Look at the European Handball Championship on Home Soil

He advises the young German players for the home European Championship to be carefree and unpredictable, and to approach the games with a certain youthful recklessness and a positive lightheartedness. True to the motto: Just go for it, allow for a culture of learning from mistakes, and then succeed.

“But just being able to be part of history—playing a world-record-breaking match in front of 53,000 spectators in a sold-out soccer stadium—that story alone has to inspire you so much that I say:

‘After me, the deluge—we’re going in there now and doing everything we can to take that euphoric step, to kick off an amazing European Championship,’

,” says Dominik, not without feeling a bit euphoric himself.

If the German team can showcase the fluid play they’ve displayed in their preparations, approach the games with fighting spirit, and capitalize on the atmosphere of a home European Championship, Dominik sees the team reaching at least the semifinals.

We hope he’s right, we’re looking forward to it, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.