With the tailwind from taking part in the European Championships and the return of Kleinmünchen/Blau-Weiss Linz to the women’s Bundesliga, youth work in Upper Austria is becoming more professional: the women’s football center becomes the women’s football academy. Kleinmünchen, Blau-Weiß Linz, the state of Upper Austria and the Upper Austrian Football Association play together.
The funding has been tripled to 50,000 euros, and the number of places at BORG for competitive sports has increased from six to twelve, as has the number of places at boarding schools. “We know that we are not at the level of men’s football,” said state councilor Markus Achleitner, but it should be a first “very important, valuable and urgently needed step”. Blau-Weiss Linz Managing Director Stefan Reiter: “The goal must be to achieve the minimum standards of the academies for boys.” The academy, headed by Kleinmünchen/Blau-Weiss master trainer Gerald Reindl, is open-plan. Reiter: “We invite other clubs to get involved.”
“We want to discover, accompany and promote as many talents as possible and thus further increase the status of women’s football,” said Stephanie Höller from Blau-Weiss Linz, who heads the newly founded academy association as chairwoman in a one-two with Kleinmünchen’s Christine Holzmüller. The LASK, whose women’s team failed in the relegation to the 2nd Bundesliga, is taking the trend into account and opening its academy to girls.
Source: Nachrichten
