On the pitches where the BVB professionals used to train, the youngest ones are now the centre of attention. The BVB Evonik Football Academy is now based in the shadow of SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. The proximity to the stadium is an additional incentive for the kids to take a course at the modern facility to tap into their full potential and of course have a lot of fun.

"We have a wide range of courses available. We have birthday courses, holiday courses or match day courses, so there is something for everyone. All children are welcome and we try to get the best out of every child," said Christian Diercks, head of the academy on the BVB podcast presented by 1&1.

However, the academy is no longer limited to Dortmund. The academy has sites in every federal state in Germany and abroad. Lukasz Piszczek, for example, worked with BVB to establish a branch in his home country. "That sets the benchmark in a country like Poland, and it makes us proud that we have been able to achieve such a great result with Lukasz," says Diercks, cheerfully. The BVB Evonik Football Academy is now also permanently represented in the USA, Brazil and Southeast Asia, to teach the Black and Yellow way to children there. What Christian Diercks and his colleagues are experiencing there and other interesting stories about the academy – that's what the latest issue of our podcast is all about.

Listen to the latest episode here.

A new episode of the BVB podcast, presented by 1&1, comes out every Thursday. Don't forget to subscribe!