10 Years Of German Academy Training.pdf

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In a recent study, scientists from the
European Business School’s Faculties
of Economics and Law (EBS) analysed the
academies of the professional clubs. Their
findings? The academies are a model of
successful integration. “The Bundes liga
with its academies is a very good and, still
unnoticed, model of successful integration,”
says Professor Schmidt, in charge
of the study. “Youngsters from different
nationalities are thrown together in the
academies by a mutual passion and a
strong will to perform well, off the pitch
as well.”
Integration is lived in the academies
of the 36 professional clubs. The attitudes
of the youngsters promoted
here are more open and tolerant, and
pre judices against foreigners are less
prevalent here than in the rest of the
population. Foreign youngsters looked
after here hail from around 50 countries.
Add to that those with an immigrant background
and you get roughly 80 countries
that are represented here. The young
players also strive to get better qualifications.
The picture of footballers occasionally
painted in the media of their primary
interest lying in their sport, hardly applies
to the academies. More than 50% of the
German youngsters and 36% of the foreigners
looked after in the academies
attend a grammar school, compared to
the national average of just 47% of Germans
and 25% of young foreigners. As
well as encouraging sport, a strong emphasis
is placed on pedagogical support
in the academies. 1,500 players from the
academies were part of the survey, their
average age 16 years. As a basis for comparison,
2,000 representatively selected
German citizens were surveyed in May
2010. “I was amazed that integration proceeded
so automatically and practically
unnoticed,” explains Dr Schmidt. “We then
realised that success comes as the result
of not shouting it from the rooftops, as
it were.” Not much is actually said about
integration. It requires no elaborate concepts.
The clubs and their employees
take a very practical approach to their
responsibilities.
Educational qualifications Types of school
attended by players from the academies (%)
Study: ‘Integration through professional football’ (EBS, Faculties of Economics and Law)
50
40
30
20
10
0
4
13
Secondary
School
15
9
12
20
Comprehensive
School
33 34
Junior High
School
Germans Germans with a migration background Foreigners
The results of the study have sharpened
the perception of the academies as
vehicles for integration and raised awareness
of the fact that the extraordinary
emotional power of football is utilised
to its full for an open society with more
equal opportunities. The young footballers
in the academies are more successful
in getting to know their German peers
than the reference group of the whole
population. They are well integrated, with
a European and international outlook.
Also noteworthy is that identification (at
over 70%) with German culture was also
much more pronounced than in the control
group.
For young foreigners and those with
a migration background, football skills
are more important than someone’s origins,
club affiliation or social status. Professor
Schmidt: “The conclusion can be
drawn that professional football helps to
overcome boundaries often set by one’s
ethnic background, and at the very least
allows these to be blurred.”
Professor Dr
Schmidt led the
study.
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54
41
Grammar
School
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