Performance Centre
presented by BarmeniaGothaer
At Kurtekotten
As one of the first German clubs, Bayer 04 opened their Performance Centre at Kurtekotten presented by BarmeniaGothaer in the direct vicinity of the Bayer Works in 2000. Three grass pitches and an artificial pitch plus additional training areas including a modern support facilities form the heart of this facility. Over the course of time two additional grass pitches were added at the Performance Centre and an artificial pitch at the BayArena. That offers the oldest age groups not just proximity to the first team but also the opportunity to use the facilities at the BayArena. The teams from the U8s to the U15s and the Women's team are based at Kurtekotten while the U16, U17 and U19 teams are at home at the BayArena.
Teams
Youth section
Head of Academy: Jefta Bresser
Academy Manager: Slawomir Czarniecki
Head U8 – U15: Jörg Bittner
Head of Coaching U16s – U19s: Gerard Roca
Head of Coaching U8s – U15s: Sven Hübscher
Education manager: Frank Ditgens
Media officer: Liam Schardt
Contact
Phone: +49 (0)214 - 5000 - 1904
Email: leistungszentrum@bayer04.de
Address: Otto-Bayer-Straße 2, 51061 Köln
Management
Jefta Bresser
Date of birth: 02.02.1971
Place of birth: Wisch, Netherlands
The trained academy director and football coach took over as head of Leverkusen's performance centre in October 2023. Bresser came from Dutch second-division club De Graafschap, where he previously enjoyed five years of great success as head of the youth academy. Between 2005 and 2015, the 52-year-old was responsible for the individual development of youth players of all age groups at PSV Eindhoven, FC Fulham and Zenit St. Petersburg.
Competitions of Teams
U19: U19 DFB Nachwuchsliga
U17: U17 DFB Nachwuchsliga
U16: U16 Youth Cup
U15: U15 Regional League West
U14: U14 Youth Cup
U13: U13 Youth Cup
U12: U12 Youth Cup
U11 bis U8: individual
Frauen: Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga
Parental support
Rainer Fehl
The Kurtekotten Performance Centre has had a member of staff working full-time on the partnership with the parents of youth players at Bayer 04 since 2020.
Having a child at an academy for several years can be very demanding for the whole family. Bayer 04 are aware of that and have appointed Reiner Fehl in this role as an experienced and full-time educator.
Fehl: "Parents are a crucial and indispensable part of the sporting and personal development of young players within a football academy. They fulfil many important roles in and around training and matches. I can help them in many aspects in overcoming these complex demands."
This is not about interfering in parents' parenting work and methods but instead developing with them approaches that can help them and their children to combine elite sport, school and family and to define their role in matches and training.
Fehl: "We now have a comprehensive and interesting programme for the parents, and the partnership is going very well. We are particularly proud of several social projects from the parents that have been organised through the commitment of the parent representatives. We are on a very good path and no development is possible without the parents."
Partners
Patrons
Directions
Philosophy
Our young players receive optimum support through targeted individual and team training as well as interesting comparative games. At the same time we obviously hope that our young players develop to the maximum in an environment tailored to them to help them develop their full potential and make the step up to our own first team.
We at Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH are aware of our great responsibility when it comes to working with children and adolescents. It is therefore a matter of course for us to actively assume this responsibility for the well-being of the children and adolescents entrusted to us and to protect them from abuse, violence, and discrimination of any kind within our environment. Our child protection policy applies to all areas of the club and focuses on the protection and rights of children and adolescents.
Coaching Academy
The Coaching Academy is responsible for the continual development of style of play and the training methods of the club combined with the club philosophy, the development of the game and best practice.
Bayer 04 coaches have the opportunity to use the ideas from the Bayer 04 Coaching Academy for themselves and their development.
Trials
Bayer 04 offer open trials days for outfield players and goalkeepers for all football enthusiastic lads in Leverkusen and surrounding areas. If you would like to test your ability under the eyes of youth coaches at Bayer 04 and have the dream of playing for one of the youth teams at the Werkself then you can register for the training sessions at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre presented by BarmeniaGothaer.
News
Werkself-TV - 25.10.2026
Women: TV-highlights of 0-2 loss at Nürnberg
Werkself-TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04 Women's 0-2 loss at 1. FC Nürnberg on Matchday 8 of the 2026/27 Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.
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Women - 25.10.2026
Setback in Nuremberg: Bayer 04 women suffer first away defeat
After nine points from their first three away matches of the 2026/27 season, the Bayer 04 Women suffered their first away defeat on Sunday afternoon. The 2-0 defeat away to FC Nürnberg, who were winless before today, represented a setback for coach Roberto Pätzold’s team in the race for the top spots in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga. Fany Pronietz scored both goals (62’, 85’) for the home side.
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Women - 24.10.2026
'Exert pressure as a chasing team': Women in action at Nürnberg
A look at the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga table ahead of the Werkself's clash at 1. FC Nürnberg leaves little discussion: Bayer 04 Women go into Sunday's meeting at the Max-Morlock-Stadion (16:00 CEST) as clear favourites. Coach Roberto Pätzold explains what's needed for the fourth-placed team against the second-from-bottom in order to make it four wins from four away matches this season.
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Bayer 04 - 23.10.2026
Michelle Böhmke appointed director of the Talent House
Following the start of construction on the Talent House in mid-August, an important staffing decision has been made: Michelle Böhmke will join the project team on 1 January 2027 and take over as director when the centre opens, which is planned for summer 2027. The 36-year-old former SGS Essen player previously worked, amongst other roles, as educational director and academy school head at Hertha Berlin.
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