Why is Holstein Kiel holding its summer training camp in the USA this year instead of traveling to neighboring Austria as in previous years? This question will certainly have been asked by one or two of those who support our club in the run-up to the Storks’ trip to the United States. Reason enough to talk to our Director of Licensed Soccer Jan Uphues about the reasons for and advantages of the US training camp.
Uphues has been working for our KSV since 2015: First as coach of the U16, before taking on the newly created position of team manager in 2018. In 2021, the Münster native became Organizational Director of the professional team, before playing a key role in the decision-making processes surrounding our KSV professionals in his role as Director of Professional Socc since 2024. Accordingly, the 37-year-old was also involved from the outset in the deliberations to hold a training camp in the USA for the first time. Together with other club officials, the idea of breaking new ground in terms of preparation for the following season already emerged during the past season. “We wanted to do something different for the 2025/26 season. Holstein Kiel has developed steadily over the past few years. This process is not yet complete – on the contrary: going to a training camp in the USA is a good example of constantly facing new challenges that we can grow from together,” explains Uphues.
In addition, the German Football League (DFL) is always striving to expand existing markets and bring German soccer closer to people in other regions of the world by giving clubs from the top two German leagues a direct local presence. As a result, the DFL and KSV came together for a US training camp. “The Bundesliga wants to continue to grow and target international markets. We want to make our contribution to this by raising the profile of German soccer in the USA and increasing the visibility of the Bundesliga in this important growth market,” emphasized Uphues. After the club was promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in time for its 125th anniversary, this special training camp premiere followed in the anniversary year.
The impressions of the first few days confirm that Uphues and Co. have made the right decision in terms of pre-season preparation. “We have excellent conditions here in terms of training grounds, hotel, catering and social program,” said Uphues, who also emphasized the special support and hospitality of the local Minnesota United FC, whose club facility serves as a training facility for our storks during the ten days in Minneapolis. “A big thank you also goes to our Head of Team Organization, Sebastian Ermuth, who has created a great foundation for our trip with a lot of passion and attention to detail – from the classic organization to real highlights in the supporting program. And the mates bring an enormous amount of energy and openness with them and really fill the whole thing with life,” praises our Director of Licensed Soccer, who regularly shares his impressions of the team with the coaching team and Managing Director Sport Olaf Rebbe in order to continue to optimize existing processes on the basis of previous experience.
And so, on Friday, Uphues saw a KSV team that worked with great enthusiasm on the pitch in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius and was extremely motivated and focused in match forms. Marcel Rapp’s team was rewarded for their efforts with another highlight in the evening: they took a boat out onto Lake Minnetonka, from where they witnessed the festivities for the 4th of July, the USA’s national holiday, including a huge fireworks display. “Events like this are also something special, of course. Many of the team are in the USA for the first time. We are all gaining new personal impressions here and, above all, experiencing many special moments together. The team spirit is growing from day to day,” concludes Uphues.
