Two-time champion with Bruck, Cup winner, Super Cup winner and 25-time national player: Klaus Mitterdorfer has undoubtedly left his mark as a handball goalkeeper in Austria.

Now his son Julian, who was able to make a big impression due to the injury to regular goalkeeper Urh Brana, is following in the footsteps of the legendary goalkeeper. Like Klaus, Julian also keeps goal. Also in Bruck.

"At an U10 tournament, Julian suddenly found himself in goal. He's stayed there ever since. My wife did take him to gymnastics once. But when Julian saw that there was no ball in the hall, he immediately turned back," laughs Klaus, who practically put Julian's handball genes in his cradle: "I was even his coach briefly once at U11 level. But that didn't work out. We're just two stubborn people."

Julian, now 20 years old, also remembers: "That's true. Mom knew from the start that it wouldn't work out. It's better off the pitch. I always get tips there too. The nice thing about my dad is that he's always honest. If I'm playing badly, he says so straight away and doesn't beat about the bush. And he can put himself in my shoes. He knows what it's like to be a goalkeeper," says Julian about his father.

Julian also knows that the footsteps of such a successful handball dad are big: "But that motivates me. I also want to aim high, make it into the national team and win lots of titles. And maybe we'll be able to build on our successful times in Bruck," says Julian.

Suddenly a title contender
Dad Klaus, who is close to the action as an official at Bruck-Trofaiach, is following his son's run of success in Upper Styria with pride: "The fact that Julian is playing in the first team in Bruck of all places, where I experienced my sporting highlights, is a very nice story." And who knows where the path of Mitterdorfer and the Foxes, who even lead the HLA table after Wednesday's 32:25 win against Krems, can take them this season. Maybe even to the title?

This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.