The project was already on the BFV's agenda last year: lowering the age of young people.
Now the topic is topical again.
District
- The project was already on the agenda of the Bavarian Football Association (BFV) last year: the age reduction in the junior area.
In January 2020, all club representatives were able to find out more about this topic in the clubhouse of FC Langengeisling.
The corona pandemic prevented a timely implementation, but it is now up to date again.
After a few workshops, the clubs should now decide whether they want the reduction by one year.
For example, the A-youth teams would in future only be made up of U18 players - while the U19 juniors are already moving up to the men's division.
For the coming season, this would mean that the young footballers born in 2002 and 2003 will be eliminated from the youth team.
For all other age groups, this would mean that after the end of this season, two years will switch to the next higher age group.
Districts can decide for themselves
However, this change is only planned in the Donau / Isar football district.
District youth leader Stefan Erl explained that all play groups could make decisions independently of each other and that no uniform solution was required.
Example: “The district of Inn / Salzach wants to leave everything unchanged up to U15, but in future forego the B-youths in order to equip the A with three years.” In the district of Donau / Isar, this model was not well received in advance.
"Since our clubs are more likely to consider a complete reduction, only this option was up for voting," emphasizes Erl.
Lively discussions arose among the officials in the workshops, which unearthed different opinions.
However, it became clear that a decision often depends on the individual internal situation in the clubs.
However, there was widespread fear that the implementation would now be rushed.
The current situation is very difficult anyway, it was said.
You don't know when and how it will go on, and you don't know whether all the players will come back.
A possible age reduction would also involve considerable effort for the clubs.
The wish that the project might not be implemented until the season after next was unmistakable.
Many opinions, many concerns
A fundamental problem, however, is that the lowering is only planned in the district, but not yet in the district.
In the regional league, a different age structure would apply than in the leagues below - that would make the division of the team very difficult.
For example, the A-youth would have players born in 2003 and 2004 in the BOL, but in the district league with those born in 2004 and 2005.
It gets even more complicated when A and B juniors compete in different leagues.
In the vote, the clubs were also able to express their opinion as to whether U19 kickers should continue to receive youth play rights under certain conditions.
“This way we could ensure that we don't lose players who are rarely or never used in the men's area,” emphasizes district youth leader Erl. However, he also sees reasons that speak in favor of implementation: “We want to achieve lowering of age that the often existing shortage of staff is absorbed by the men.
Practice has shown that more and more players from the A-youth are already playing with the adults - we also want to counteract this often practiced double burden. "
The result will come this week
With a third vote, they wanted to do justice to the objection that the training of footballers who previously played in the 9: 9 system in the U13 juniors would not be optimal with one form of play across the field.
All officials could choose whether the 9: 9 system should be used on an adapted compact field up to the U14 juniors.
The voting ended on Sunday evening - each club had one vote.
A two-thirds majority is required to implement the age reduction - and if the necessary majority is achieved, it will be implemented as early as the 2021/22 season.
The result is to be communicated to the clubs this week.
"This gives them better planning security and can start planning for the 2021/22 season as early as February," explains district youth leader Erl.
Andreas Heilmaier
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