The BVB Evonik Soccer School was overwhelmed by the response elicited during its countrywide tour of Austria. More than 400 up-and-coming players attended holiday courses at eight different locations across the alpine republic.

The 2016 tour kicked off in Eisenstadt, Burgenland. Three days of brilliant sunshine, an excellent training facility and many enthusiastic girls and boys wanting to improve their game made for a great start to proceedings. The school then moved westerly to Blindenmarkt in Lower Austria. There awaiting the trainers from Dortmund were 70 children who could barely contain their excitement at the prospect of getting to experience BVB first hand. 

After three days, the team of German trainers was once again to take its leave. Next stop: Ried in Traunkreis. This small, football-mad community was already in Black and Yellow mode as the school rolled into town. The soccer camp lasted for three days here as well, leaving behind many happy children.

The fourth stop-off point was Mattinghofen, located very near to Salzburg, where many children "gave everything like the pros" and also showed their passion for BVB in two training sessions each day.

The BVB Experience Week began then just a few days later in Westendorf in the Kitzbühel Alps, a location at which the BVB senior team players had just recently been guests themselves. Over 120 children trained there on two pitches while simultaneously being able to enjoy breathtaking views of the mountains. In front of this awe-inspiring backdrop, they learned tricks, passed, dribbled and shot at goal for all their worth.

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Close ball control is a fundamental skill when dribbling.

Subsequently, the BVB trainers journeyed onwards as part of their Austrian tour to SC St. Stefan in Lavatal, in the south of the country. And the men from Dortmund noticed here quickly it is not without good reason that the region's slogan reads, "Corinthia is awesome!". The enthusiasm for the game shown here was unbeatable.

Having departed Corinthia, the troupe made its way onwards to "Austria's most beautiful mountain village" – namely, to Strallegg in Styria. Here awaiting the participants was the  "Jogaland-Arena", the best that Styria has to offer. The final destination was a place already well known to BVB. For the third time in succession, the BVB Evonik Soccer School was hosted by SV Großweikersdorf close to Vienna. Tasty food, superb training facilities, glorious weather and highly enthused children meant that the tour's conclusion could hardly have been bettered.

Those who took part in this year's events are already eagerly anticipating the Soccer School's 2017 tour. With a total of ten courses planned, our neighbours to the south will once again be able to experience full-throttle football of the BVB kind.