Thanks to the “Bayer 04-Lernkurve”, the 17 pupils of school number one, many of whom wore the existing Werkself kit, were able to get to know the professionals up close. As a warm-up, the children, led by Thiel with Lomb and Hansen Skinnes, competed in two groups in the penalty shootout. Some of them showed promising technical qualities in attack but also in goal. While Thiel from Leverkusen was leading the exercise, the two Bayer 04 players were helping Team Bibs.
In the full game that followed, Lomb held the goal on one team with Skinnes Hansen, while Thiel defended on the other. At half-time, the young players gathered in the centre circle to ask questions of the Werkself professionals. Lomb talked about his journey to becoming a pro, his favorite video games, his past career aspirations, and his first red card. Norway’s Skinnes Hansen talked about her first steps on the football field at the age of six, her preference for scoring goals and her cross. -Ski country skiing and fabric. Thiel then asked curious academics about their own career aspirations.
At the end of the second half, there was a penalty shootout that gave goalkeeper Lomb the winner. At the right moment, Brian the Lion entered the gym like a wonderful guest and greeted the excited children. Together with Lomb, Skinnes Hansen and Thiel, the Bayer 04 mascot took the time to respond to all the schoolchildren’s requests for autographs and photographs.
Lomb gave a very positive assessment. ” I think it’s great to play with the kids and see how much joy it brings them,” said the 30-year-old. “When you can also answer interesting questions, things become calmer. more fun. They just have another one, and we were all there once. “
Skinnes Hansen, who after moving to Leverkusen last summer is studying German categories, was particularly pleased to have the opportunity to test her language skills. I tried to answer everything in German, and most of the young kids understood me, which was great. My German teacher will surely be proud,” he said with a smile. The 28-year-old enjoyed the consultation with the students. I had never been to a German school before,” he explained. It reminded me of my old gymnasium in Noruega. Es glorious to see how excited the students were about our visit. You can motivate young people with projects like this. When we asked them about their goals and dreams, there were many other answers. Some also need the players. I would have liked to have had that opportunity when I was a kid,” added the winger.
For club veteran Thiel, whose own daughter is a freshman at GGS, the crusade was a specific concern. “We’re all experiencing a lot of excitement in the city,” said the 39-year-old, who has coached first-team goalkeepers since 2012. “More and more people are enthusiastic about Bayer Leverkusen, which makes us happy. . Normally, “people come to see us at the stadium, but here we go directly to them in the neighborhoods. When you look into the radiant eyes of the young people, you see how well-earned it is. In addition to so many questions, I also found it appealing to ask questions of young people. “
The director of the GGS, Sabine Mack, watched the ordinary lesson from the outside, with clever humor. “I think it’s wonderful that we have the opportunity to be so close to the professionals as part of the project. It’s a fantastic treat “For the kids,” he said. “During the Q&A session, they also received answers to all their personal questions in a calm atmosphere. They will continue to communicate about this experience as adults. ” Mack added: “It’s wonderful that the club is also thinking about campaigning in their own city. “
Bayer 04 will host district days both in the current season and in the 2024/25 campaign. Around a decided Bundesliga home match, projects and workshops are developed in the respective Leverkusen district.
Elementary school students probably won’t be able to enjoy this sports lesson anytime soon. As part of the “District Matchdays” campaign, a trio from Bayer 04 travelled to the GGS Bergisch Neukirchen ahead of the Werkself’s match against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday (kick-off at 18:30). ). Players Niklas Lomb and Synne Skinnes Hansen, along with men’s goalkeeping coach David Thiel, laughed with fourth-graders in the school’s gymnasium on the fourth day of the campaign, which featured Bergisch Neukirchen.
The Werkself trio of Edmond Tapsoba, Odilon Kossounou and Amine Adli have passed the organisational level of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and are in the knockout stages. Tapsoba and Burkina Faso finished second in their organization, Adli and Morocco emerged victorious. , while Kossounou and hosts Ivory Coast advance to the playoffs as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Bayer 04 Women will play on Friday, January 26 against Werder Bremen in the last match of the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga (kick-off: 18:30 CET, live on MagentaSport and DAZN). After 3 weeks of preparation, the sixth and seventh groups face each other in a key match.
After the victories of the Leverkusen keyboardists in matchdays 15 to 17 of the VBL club championship last week via WOW and a successful finish in the Hinrunde, the Rückrunde with matches against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Werder Bremen and Holstein Kiel. Four numbers at the start of the second half of the season.
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