Goals for the next generation of footballers

JSG Hohe Warte is a good example of exceptional, well thought-out youth work in football. And as such, it is predestined as a highlight project for "Spiel' Dein Spiel" - the youth development programme of Stadtwerke Gießen.

Football exclusively for children and young people - that's what JSG Hohe Warte offers. The abbreviation stands for Jugend-Spielgemeinschaft. In this case, SV 1928 Garbenteich, SV Annerod and TV 1864 Hausen are co-operating. The managers of the three neighbouring clubs decided to merge their youth football activities in order to significantly optimise them. The success proves them right: starting with 80 children in 2021, almost 200 girls and boys between the ages of four and 15 now play at JSG Hohe Warte.

Football for children requires special equipment - including smaller goals. This is exactly what the JSG receives from Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) as part of the "Play your game" campaign. "JSG Hohe Warte impressively demonstrates what is possible when you critically scrutinise traditional structures and rethink things," explains Stephanie Orlik, responsible for the "Spiel' Dein Spiel" campaign at SWG, on the occasion of the handover of the goals. "What has been created here deserves the highest recognition. That's why it quickly became clear to us that the JSG would be our 'Spiel' Dein Spiel' highlight in 2023," she explains the decision. There are also 50 T-shirts for the two goals that will be used on the sports pitch in Garbenteich.

Everyone can play

The top maxim at the JSG is: We don't turn anyone away. Literally all children are allowed to take part. "If there are too many children in a group - which has already happened - we organise a new coach and set up an additional team," says Simon Pötter, one of the three youth managers, describing the procedure. In this way, the JSG offers all children the opportunity to train during the week and play against other teams at the weekend. "These experiences are invaluable," says Simon Pötter.

An integral part of the basic idea is to allow the children to gain other positive experiences - sometimes independent of football. "In everything we initiate, the focus is on the children's needs. We always ask ourselves what they might enjoy," summarises Simon Pötter. This means that a visit to the climbing forest, basketball in the Osthalle or a women's international match are on the programme.

In addition, the topic of tolerance naturally also plays a central role in such an integrative approach. "We can definitely imagine organising educational trips with the older children," says Simon Pötter. To Weimar and Buchenwald, for example. Work against racism is also an integral part of the young organisation's concept. After all, many children from different countries of origin play sport here. And grow together in friendship.

Massive voluntary commitment

What JSG Hohe Warte offers its young footballers would be unthinkable without volunteers and committed parents. But there has never been a problem with this at the JSG. Because the concept is right, there are obviously always enough people who are enthusiastic and willing to lend a hand. And it's not just the young people involved in the JSG who benefit from this: at the end of June, almost 60 clubs from the districts of Giessen, Marburg, Lahn-Dill and Wetterau came to the two sports fields in Garbenteich. Almost 700 children were able to let off steam for two days and play out the winners in the respective age groups. "Tournaments of this size are a real rarity these days," says Simon Pötter. More and more clubs are shying away from the effort involved in such large events - both organisationally and financially.

However, simply planning and organising a youth football tournament is not enough for the JSG organisers. For the JSG, such an event must fulfil an important criterion: to be remembered as positively as possible by the participants. It is therefore only logical that everyone - regardless of how they ultimately performed - goes home with a medal or mini cup. "In football, there are winners and therefore inevitably losers. We can't and don't want to prevent that. But because we have a small prize for everyone, we reduce the frustration for those who were less successful. And create an incentive to play again next year. Simply because it's fun and nobody has to be annoyed," summarises Simon Pötter.

Speaking of next year: the new youth goals will of course also be used at the 2024 summer tournament. They will make it possible to use an additional pitch and invite even more teams.

Still a lot to come

Thanks to its special approach, JSG Hohe Warte - unlike many other clubs - is not struggling with a loss of members. On the contrary. The number of children and young people playing for the JSG has increased two-and-a-half-fold in the first two years. And that's just the beginning. "We are growing with the players, so to speak," explains Simon Pötter. In three years at the latest, the current C-youth players will be competing in the A-youth programme. If everything goes as planned, the club will then have at least one team in every age group. At least for the boys.

The girls' team was formed in 2022, with around 17 players between the ages of ten and 15 forming a colourful group in which everyone has fun. The long-term plan is to establish girls' teams in as many age groups as possible. The chances of this are good. Numerous Bambinis of both sexes continue to join. SWG's support is helping to get there: "Thanks to the two goals, we will be able to offer even more training sessions in future," announces Simon Pötter.

The campaign in a nutshell

With the "Play your game" campaign, SWG has been supporting clubs, institutions and groups that motivate children and young people to get active and play sport for several years now. The company has already supported 38 projects with donations as part of the campaign. It goes without saying that SWG will continue to run "Spiel' Dein Spiel" in 2024.

More information and applications:
www.swg-spieldeinspiel.de