/ Honorary Work

"Youth soccer in Germany is in good hands"

This year's "Aktion junges Ehrenamt - FUSSBALLHELDEN-Bildungsreise", organized by the German Football Association (DFB) and KOMM MIT, supported by Volkswagen, has come to a successful end. From October 27 to 31, 2025, around 220 young volunteers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland spent an intensive and motivating week in Spain to expand their knowledge, gain new impetus for their clubs and network with like-minded people. The "FOOTBALL HEROES" campaign was supplemented this year by a network meeting of Berlin volunteers at the An der Alten Försterei stadium on November 21, 2025.

"The future of our volunteer work"

DFB Vice President Peter Frymuth opened the week in Santa Susanna, Spain, with an impressive speech on the importance of volunteering in German club soccer. On Tuesday, the first theoretical and practical sessions took place on various soccer pitches under the Spanish sun. The "Treffpunkt Ehrenamt", a meeting with official representatives of the regional soccer associations, where participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas, make new contacts and learn from each other, rounded off the day. This form of network meeting promotes exchange and strengthens the community in German youth soccer.

Wednesday was characterized by exciting practical sessions on the pitch. DFB Vice President Ronny Zimmermann also came to Santa Susanna to thank the young volunteers for their commitment and discussed the challenges facing referees and youth leaders in a workshop. "Volunteering is not a matter of course. It means lifeblood, passion and responsibility. The soccer heroes impressively demonstrate what it means to stand up for others and live community. Anyone who experiences their enthusiasm knows that youth soccer in Germany is in good hands. These young people are the future of our voluntary work and our soccer," said Zimmermann.

The photo shows a large group of people standing on a wide sandy beach. The group is close together and wearing predominantly red sports shirts with black shorts. Some people on the edge are wearing black or white clothing. In the foreground, several green and pink banners are placed on the sand with the inscriptions "FUSSBALL HEROES" and "KOMM MIT International". At the bottom left of the picture is white text: "Aktion Ehrenamt #fhbr2025". In the background are several green flags with white lettering. Behind them you can see a row of trees, buildings and, further back, a hilly landscape with houses stretching up to the mountain tops. The sky is clear and blue and the sun is shining brightly, indicating warm, sunny weather. The scene gives the impression of a major sporting event or a meeting for soccer volunteers.
Numerous young volunteers from all over Germany spent exciting days in Spain. Photo: KOMM MIT

Celebrity visit

Hannes Wolf, DFB Director of Youth, Training and Development and head coach of the DFB U20 national team, explained the training philosophy of the new forms of play in children's and youth soccer in Germany. Knut Kircher, Managing Director of DFB Schiri GmbH and former FIFA and Bundesliga referee, gave the soccer heroes valuable insights from everyday life in the Bundesliga and demonstrated the importance of communication, fairness and respect in the game. On Thursday, the participants explored the Catalan metropolis of Barcelona. In addition to sightseeing and culture, this excursion provided a valuable opportunity for further exchange and networking. In the evening, various workshops were held on all aspects of club life, in which the volunteers were able to deepen their newly acquired knowledge. A total of eight workshops covered topics such as modern team management, team building and ball corobics.

"An enriching experience"

Friday began with further sessions in the learning groups and a large final tournament for all groups, including the speakers and organizing team. Afterwards, twelve youth coaches were awarded the children's coach certificate (KiTZ) and 47 soccer heroes were awarded the youth coach certificate (JuTZ). Philipp Reinartz, Managing Director of KOMM MIT, said: "We are delighted that we can make an important contribution to recognizing and motivating young volunteers with this trip. Their commitment is the foundation of our clubs and secures the soccer base in Germany."

The participants were also very enthusiastic about the educational trip. Berlin participant Francesco Tolsdorf summed it up: "The soccer trip to Spain was a very enjoyable and enriching experience for me. I was able to take away many new impressions and valuable insights that will certainly help me in my future coaching work. I am particularly pleased that I have already been able to successfully implement some of the new things I learned in my own training." Lea Stiller, also one of the Berlin award winners, added: "Overall, the trip was a perfect mix of practice, theory and fun. I was able to gather new ideas, reflect on my own training methods and get to know lots of great people. An all-round successful time, from which I took away a lot of motivation and inspiration."

Union game as the grand "finale"

This year, the young volunteer campaign was complemented by a network meeting of Berlin soccer heroes, which took place as part of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga match between 1. FC Union Berlin and Hamburger SV at the An der Alten Försterei stadium. The meeting was introduced by a short tour through the players' tunnel and along the pitch, before the match day was spent together in the VIP rooms of the stadium with constructive discussions. A successful conclusion to an autumn in the spirit of young volunteering.

Kategorien: Honorary Work

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