Foundation
Preparations begin for new ''football fans in training'' course
Just like lots of other sporting projects, the ''leuchte auf'' initiative ''Football fans in training'' (FFIT) has been on pause since last year due to the pandemic. This was particularly regrettable given that sport in general has been pushed to the forefront of the public consciousness over the past year and a half and that the FFIT project enjoyed great popularity prior to Covid. The possibility of starting a new course in 2021 is now being assessed.
FFIT is a free prevention programme aimed at overweight BVB fans. Through increased exercise and information on an adapted diet, the foundations can be laid for a healthier and more active lifestyle. Over a period of three months, a 90-minute training programme takes place once a week. This is divided into a theoretical and a practical section. In the theoretical section, held in the BVB learning centre in SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, the participants get to grips with their daily dietary habits and have the opportunity to review them. The practical section always consists of a football training session on the pitches of the BVB Evonik Football Academy, which is the former training ground of the first team. The participants also get the opportunity to explore SIGNAL IDUNA PARK from a different perspective; for example, strength and conditioning training sessions are sometimes held on the south stand. It's not just the sporting activity that gets the BVB fans' hearts beating at every training session. Both the theory and the practical exercises are led by qualified coaches.
In the last FFIT courses, each participant lost an average of seven kilos of weight over the course of the 12-week programme. In addition to the lost pounds, the participants were also able to enjoy new BVB friendships, many of which lasted beyond the FFIT project and resulted in playing football together in a specially-founded club.
Together with the German Cancer Aid and the Institute for Therapy and Health Research (IFT Nord), the BVB foundation would like to use the courses to help contribute to reducing the risk of serious illness (cancer) caused by obesity. The project started in 2018 and was held four times before all further planning had to be put on hold due to Covid.
The possibility of starting a new edition of the course is now being assessed. All interested BVB fans between the ages of 35 and 65 have the opportunity to sign up to a non-binding registration list and, with a bit of luck, join the next round of FFIT. Men with a waist measurement of at least 100cm and women with a waist measurement of at least 88cm can register for the programme.
The course will most likely start on 8 November, with 12 training sessions held on Mondays from 19:00 to 20:30 in Dortmund. Due to the ongoing pandemic, unfortunately only vaccinated or recovered BVB fans will be able to take part in the course. Similar to BVB Bundesliga matches, the "2G procedure" also applies to this course. Registrations can be made now via the Football fans in training link.
All information on ''leuchte auf'' can be accessed at: