The new DFB academy will open in Frankfurt in 2021 - a 15 hectare large area to help mould the future of German football. In the background, several different projects are being worked on. One of things at the heart of the project is the ‘Think Tank’ which is already initiating regular workshops. In the summit meeting in Leipzig, the theme this time was psychology.
An interdisciplinary and international think tank, a centre of excellence concerning the significant questions in football: that is the aspiration of the DFB Academy. “We are bringing different groups of experts together, in order to develop current and new projects as one for the future of football, to scrutinise issues from varying perspectives and examine their applicability,” said Dr. Thomas Hauser, head of the Think Tank. They should make football a little better day-by-day. The meeting of various working groups clearly showed that the DFB are on the right track after two years of work. The event focused on the area of psychology. Internal and external experts from areas such as science, innovation and training theory put a lot of emphasis on the area. For instance, in football, there are aspects such as ‘decision-making’: For what reasons does a particular player make a certain decision? How do sport and cognitive psychology align?
Hauser: "Inquisitiveness and openness are the foundations for the future success of sport. New technologies, discoveries through innovation and science are enriching society but so are certain mental approaches from philosophy, art and from a cultural perspective."
Those participating in the summit meeting depict a similar story. A psychologist explains his view on the cognitive process in the game, the fitness coach adds how you can train competitiveness and a data expert showcases in which way possible learning progress based on regular testing could be documented. It’s a wide array of expertise who dispute with one another. That’s exactly what is hoped for: an amalgamation of various perspectives in order to bring synergy to the Think Tank. The DFB and its delegates, scientists and practitioners in Leipzig, where the DFB was formed in 1900, have proved themselves as constructive companions of the Think Tank. As well as focusing on the key theme of psychology, the group reflect on the insights from the meeting and workshops from the past two years. Tradition, the build-up of knowledge and the transfer of knowledge into new ways of thinking: That is all crucial to make-up the football of tomorrow which centres on the players as people. The DFB and its academy want to be pioneering in this field.
“It’s enormously helpful that we are able to discuss everything here publicly together. Here, ideas can be shared, debated and have their practicality evaluated. We live for the exchange of ideas,” proclaimed a content Markus Weise, head of development and innovation at the DFB Academy. “Today was intense. We’re looking forward already to the next gathering and the continuation of developing what we’ve begun and our projects.”
Others who took part also shared their enthusiasm. “Today, we’ve gained some important insights, It’s great to see how different areas of expertise can come together to create something special. The DFB Academy is tapping into and binding itself with numerous fields of knowledge.”
At the Think-Tank meeting in Leipzig, one thing was clear which everyone subscribed to: Reach the top and stay there – that’s the mission for all of German football.