In the immediate vicinity of the Signal Iduna Park is a small football pitch that was once the BVB senior squad's training ground. Since the 90s, the Chapuisats, Riedles and Sammers have all trained on it at some point. These days, it is home to the BVB Evonik Football Academy. On its founding in 2011, at that time still under the name BVB Evonik Football School, a total of 1700 football-mad kids got the ball rolling on the natural turf. The emerging players were able to go at it hammer and tongs, just like the professionals, during holidays, on matchdays and as part of support courses, while always under the watchful eye of a licensed coaching team. Eight seasons down the line and much has changed, like, for example, the artificial pitches which have replaced the natural turf ones.

What was originally a team consisting of three members of staff has since grown into a 17-strong group of highly motivated coaches. Spurred on by current developments in youth football, the BVB Evonik Football Academy is not resting on its laurels and is adjusting its offerings to the needs of young players. The tried and tested course on offer for children aged 6 to 13 years consisting of holiday, matchday and support courses has been supplemented with several more options. With new half-time initiatives, birthday courses, a large number of external partner locations and social projects, the academy has positioned itself anew for the current climate.

The holiday courses provided by the children's soccer academy have remained hugely popular since its inception as they are a completely unique experience. The young players run through several important topics in the space of four or five days, as part of which dribbling, shooting on goal, the passing side of the game, coordination and even social competencies are taught. Exciting half-time initiatives such as a sense of responsibility with respect to healthy eating round off what is provided and are the focus of the coaching team's work besides the tuition of football played in a technically proficient manner. The course offerings are accompanied by the conveyance of important social competencies, something which is continuously expanded and improved. The football-loving children have the opportunity to enjoy a balanced meal in a unique ambience at a communal midday meal held in the Signal Iduna Park. They are then able to go on a tour of discovery through the most beautiful stadium in the world on a prearranged course day. However, the academy also offers numerous courses away from the club's home so that children who come from other regions are likewise able to take part in high-quality training programmes. BVB is now at home in many locations, including Hamburg, Sassenberg, Bruchhausen, Berlin and Norderney.

There are small BVB fans even beyond national borders who would like to learn the tricks and tips of football. Consequently, the coaching team regularly pack up their bags for the summer months and head off to enthuse budding players in Austria, Switzerland and Poland as well. The coaching staff's trained eyes also play an important role here during every training course, since young talent can be discovered and nurtured correspondingly. By way of the high-level of support provided on the advanced and intensive courses, the BVB Evonik Football Academy coaching team have have helped 25 young prospects make the leap into the youth football set-up. A total of 10 of the sighted talents are playing successfully in our BVB youth teams. However, the original thought borne by the Football Academy's concept remains unchanged: the BVB Evonik Football Academy's work not only places the sporting success of young players in focus, but also supports their holistic personal development both on and off the pitch to an equal extent.