Ballschool

The Ballschool Heidelberg is a project run by the Institute of Sport and Sport Science at the University of Heidelberg, and Capri-Sonne has been supporting it for years.

Prof. Dr. Klaus Roth founded the Ballschool Heidelberg as a non-profit organization since there are so many places where people can no longer play ball on the street, in a courtyard or in a park.

The programs they hold at sports clubs and elementary schools are intended to make up for the "ballschool" which once took place naturally, and this teaches kids the ABCs of playing games with different balls. The point is not for them to focus on a single ball game; instead, the kids are to become playfully familiar with different kinds of games that involve tossing, shooting and rebounds.

A curriculum was developed for this program that includes special kinds of games and exercises, and the emphasis here is squarely on having fun. The goal of the Ballschool Heidelberg is to create a foundation for children so that they stay active in sports for the rest of their lives. In the Heidelberg area, over 3000 children have already learned to play ball as part of the Ballschool Heidelberg. The high demand has led to centers being set up in Berlin, Rhine/Ruhr valley region, northern Germany and Halle. The concept has received a great international response as well.

You can read more about the Ballschool Heidelberg at www.ballschule.de (German website)