Fun with football: Stuttgart children learn to play without pressure!

Fun with football: Stuttgart children learn to play without pressure!

In Stuttgart, numerous sports clubs focus on child-friendly football education that focuses on the fun of the game. This happens without the pressure to perform. The ABV Stuttgart Bambini team offers a clear example of this approach: The children enjoy regular games in which the pursuit of goals is often characterized by challenges. The young players react to the various game situations with both frustration and laughter, which underlines the lively and happy atmosphere.

The promotion of children in football is further supported by the concept of the TuS Stuttgart Kicker Football School. The focus here is on fun and the joy of movement, without putting the children under pressure to perform. In-depth training is offered to help children learn basic football skills. You can join at any time and the football school offers a three-week free trial period. The training groups are sorted by age and guarantee an optimal group size of a maximum of 18 children per trainer.

New forms of play in children's football

The excitement and enthusiasm for football among children has also increased due to the reforms in children's football. These new forms of play, which have been introduced in the Southwest German Football Association since the 2021/2022 season, are intended to enable more ball contact and a sense of achievement. Formats such as 4+1 against 4+1 as well as 2 against 2 or 3 against 3 reduce the size of the playing field and the size of the team in order to give the smaller players more chances. These changes are based on positive experiences from pilot projects that were tested in 21 regional associations of the German Football Association.

The concept of the new children's football focuses on the joy of the game, without championship rounds in the G and F youths, instead game afternoons and festivals are organized. The children have the opportunity to act independently, without pressure from referees or excessive guidance from coaches. In addition, the rotation principle was introduced, which ensures that all players receive sufficient playing time. These principles are intended to help you learn how to play independently and how to deal with wins and losses. Ronny Zimmermann, 1st DFB Vice President Amateurs, emphasizes the need to create child-friendly offers in order to strengthen youth work in football.

Surveys show that there is a high level of support for the goals of the reform, including making the game fun and having lots of ball action. This proves that a child-friendly approach to football is not only possible, but also successful. In Stuttgart, clarity and education are still needed to address concerns among adults and to actively promote the new methods of play. The positive development dynamic created by such initiatives makes it clear that the focus should always be on enjoying football, while at the same time promoting important skills and social experiences.