As part of a four-day follow-up in the coastal city of Cartagena, Bayer 04 instructor Peter Quast and Robert Urbanek of FK Austria Vienna trained 39 young football coaches. From 31 March to 4 April it was primarily about conveying training content in the area of children's football. The instructors worked in close cooperation with the Scort Foundation as well as the local partner organisation Fundación Colombianitos.
In addition to refreshing existing knowledge that participants had from previously completed Young Coaches training, the focus was on the inclusion of handicapped children. Young Coach Angie was thrilled by the content conveyed: "If, for example, a disadvantaged child is new to my school then I can now incorporate it as I know more. I've already got some ideas of how I can help out these children."
The participants also received an introduction to impact assessment to be able to better understand the influence of their football activities on the children and the community in the future.
The follow-up also covered holding two football festivals with children from the region. On the third day, handicapped children were invited first and that was followed a day later by a festival with 120 children without handicaps. The participating Young Coaches thereby have the opportunity to immediately apply all the content received over the four-day training course.
"It showed again how important a follow-up is. Over these four years things happen again and again that raise questions or where certain things don't work. We can continue to help them. A follow-up after three or four years serves to reinforce what's been learned," said Bayer 04 instructor Peter Quast on the significance of the measures taken.
The #morethanfootball Action Weeks started on Monday 21 March and run to 14 April. The aim is to highlight how football clubs can live up to their social commitment through a range of activities. The global project initiated by the European Football for Development Network offers participating clubs and organisations the opportunity through a range of theme days to inform their supporters and fans of their own activities in the area of community and social responsibility both on and off the pitch and thereby increase awareness of the role of football within society.
The Werkself took part in the campaign last year. Bayer 04 again present a range of activities on the current theme days. In addition to today’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, that includes the issues of accessibility, social inclusion, awareness, sustainability and climate protection, mental health and much more.
The Werkself and the Bayer 04 Women’s team have also draw attention to the Action Weeks in their recent home games. In addition, the campaign is being supported this year by the Werkself player Robert Andrich and Juliane Wirtz of the Bayer 04 Women's team in their roles as ambassadors.
With 22 days to go until the start of the Bundesliga campaign, the Bayer 04 Women’s team have gained a fresh boost of confidence. In a friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk on Saturday afternoon, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team secured a 1–0 win. Lobke Loonen (20’) scored the winner for the Black and Reds at the Kurtekotten training centre.
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A successful fourth preseason friendly ahead of the start of the training camp: The Werkself secured a 3-0 victory over Rot-Weiss Essen at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The goals in what was a commanding and dominant performance by Leverkusen from the outset were scored by Ibrahim Maza (8'), Patrik Schick from the penalty spot (23’) and, in the second half, Montrell Culbreath with a header (79’). The team set off for their training camp in Blankenhain in the Weimarer Land region after the game.
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Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personal Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
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You have voted – your ‘Team of the Quarter-Century’ has been decided! This historic selection, covering the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2024, features honorary captains, Bundesliga champions, double winners and Champions League finalists. Edmond Tapsoba is the only player from the current Bayer 04 squad to make it into the starting XI, while his team-mate Patrik Schick is on the bench. Simon Rolfes, the current managing director sport, is also in the lie-up. A truly special team that brings together a quarter of a century of Bayer 04 history – and has left a decisive mark on the club.
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Following Patrik Schick, Mark Flekken, Ibrahim Maza and Kerim Alajbegovic earlier this week, the next World Cup participant is back on the training ground in Leverkusen: On Thursday 30 July, Malik Tillman rejoined the squad, completing his first training session under head coach Carles Martínez.
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