Our Freestyler’s Playlist features a personal music set from different freestylers from around the world. Freestyling goes hand-in-hand with music, and these athletes know how to appreciate the power of a good beat. Check out the jams to get your workout jumpstarted.
Sven Fielitz speaks four languages, has performed in over 20 countries, and at one point was in the top 4 in Europe. He is the current Luxembourg champion and has been practicing the sport for over a decade, but the poetic and multi-faceted athlete shows no signs of slowing down. As the founder and creator of Tek Neek, a kind of go-to online destination for all the coolest freestyle videos, he’s now playing a crucial role in documenting, aggregating, and producing engaging content of that growing scene.
“Freestyle football is often described as an individual sport and it’s true—it can be lonely at times … But as soon as I touch that ball, everything else slowly fades away and I feel like entering a different world.”
Like many freestylers, Fielitz was first inspired to start doing tricks after watching the infamous Nike commercials, then went on to discover the greats like Touzani, Palle, and Timo online. At 17, he decided to focus solely on freestyle.
“My biggest achievement definitely was my fourth place amongst 60 freestylers at the European championship in 2015. I beat Erlend Fagerli, ranked second in the world at that time, in a top 16 battle, and then I knew everything was possible,” he told Urban Pitch.
Fielitz has since helped highlight his fellow community of freestylers with Tek Neek, and his impressive, independently produced videos. “The competition I enjoyed most was the Red Bull Street Style competition in 2012 in Lecce, Italy,” he reminisced. “When entering the stage, you almost felt like a gladiator entering an ancient Roman amphitheater. During that competition, I didn’t only compete, but I also filmed my first ever documentary called ‘Genk Up.'”
The film, which is available on YouTube, follows Irish freestyler Daniel Dennehy and his battle against chronic fatigue syndrome to qualify for the world finals.
Fielitz’s dedication to the sport as an advocate, media creator, and athlete is a trait that undoubtedly requires stamina and a robust work ethic. “Freestyle football is often described as an individual sport and it’s true—it can be lonely at times. Sometimes, there’s a certain negative undertone to it, like we’re never supposed to be alone,” he explained.
“I mostly practice by myself and therefore I need to push myself again and again to overcome my inner laziness and grab my ball to go out for a session. But as soon as I touch that ball, everything else slowly fades away and I feel like entering a different world. A world where my perception of time changes and my thoughts don’t aimlessly wander around. There’s nothing to worry about, everything feels right and I just do. I let myself be immersed by this moment, this feeling, that can only be experienced when you practice by yourself, alone.”
Check out more on Sven Fieltz on his Instagram and web site, and follow Tek Neek at @tekneekofficial. You can listen to all the Urban Pitch Freestyler’s Playlist on SoundCloud.
