This season, the network of Geschwister-Scholl-Gesamtschule and Goethe-Gymnasium has been recognised as the 39th Elite Football Academy. On Thursday, the official award was given, with the participation of the Bundesliga and BVB President Dr. Reinhard Rauball, DFB Vice President Dr. Hans-Dieter Drewitz, Lord Mayor Ullrich Sierau and BVB junior coordinator Lars Ricken.

“Dortmund claims to be – and I think rightly so – Germany’s footballing capital. But what had been missing until now was an Elite Football Academy”, emphasised Rauball, thanking the school principals Klaus Zielonka and Christof Nattkemper, as well as all the teachers for what has been done so far, “because our black and yellow talents will definitely benefit from your work. I also congratulate - as the first vice president of the German Football Association - a sports association which places great emphasis on the fact that young footballers receive not only the best sporting but also an excellent school education in parallel".

Elite Football Academies are geared up towards optimally coordinating school and sporting requirements. Each elite academy forms an alliance of a school, training centre, other regional associations and the national association - this ensures an optimal coordination of all areas, which accompany and promote a talent. Teachers are cautious about the double burden on pupils/sportsmen. "The effort that the young players are giving is immense. Among the very best are international games, courses of the selection teams, internationals and international tournaments. In total, this is almost a full-time job, which often does not pay heed to holiday dates," says Rauball: "And this one full-time job wants to be coordinated with a second full-time job - that of the student, who has the right to the best possible training and professional preparation.”

Borussia Dortmund’s educational director Matthias Röben had been in contact with the Geschwister Scholl-Gesamtschule three years ago, "because of the proximity to the area and the good reputation of the school. The goal was to create the best possible school conditions for our boys". At the beginning of 2015 the Goethe-Gymnasium in Hörde, one of 16 certified NRW sports schools, came to cooperate. Röben: "The application to the Elite Football Academy was only a logical consequence.”

"Our philosophy is always about developing personalities that show a high degree of competence, both on and off the pitch," says Rauball. "This requires an excellent school education and the best possible school degree.” (br)