00:00These are some of Ghana's aspiring football professionals at the start of their journey on the pitch at the BVB
00:07International Academy in Accra.
00:09It's the first global network academy of its kind for Borussia Dortmund BVB in Africa.
00:17The German football powerhouse has partnered with local training center shooting stars to bring its vision to life.
00:24The goal is to nurture young talent and support children who want to build a future in football.
00:33Some players want to be in a more recreational stream.
00:36They want to learn life skills like discipline, teamwork, organization, while also honing their football skills and having fun.
00:43And with elite players, these are players who have an ambition and aspiration to become professional football players.
00:48So we take them in as well. Again, from as young as 16 through 18, we train them and eventually
00:53give them opportunities to play football abroad.
00:56Many parents are impressed with the academy's focus on football and life skills coaching.
01:03With Dortmund's CSR program, you're playing with kids who are less privileged.
01:08You're playing with kids who may be more privileged, but then you come together as one, as a team, to
01:13play a game of football.
01:14So it's showing, one, learning to deal with other people, learning to work with other people, not judging anybody from
01:20whatever background, and learning to have a common focus and a common group.
01:23I don't just want him to be a fantastic football player.
01:27I want him to be a fantastic man and a fantastic person in his communities and his societies.
01:33And I think that there's a lot of things that a player can learn in a football setting that translate
01:40to your life generally.
01:42And that's what I want for him.
01:44I want him to grow to be a leader and a friend and a support and smart and motivated and
01:52driven.
01:52This isn't Dortmund's first engagement with Ghanaian youth football.
01:57Over the years, the club has sent coaching teams to the country to share expertise and inspire aspiring players.
02:06So, I think it's always this, seeing this player completely as a person to help developing a good character, but
02:17also this understanding of football.
02:19You have to understand that football is more than kicking around.
02:23It's about discipline.
02:24It's the small things like cleaning up the pitch after the training session.
02:28These are the things that build your character.
02:29And this is what we're here to do.
02:31And the children are already embracing core values such as discipline, teamwork, and commitment.
02:39And I think playing here is fun.
02:42And I encourage other people to try and join because I enjoy the training session.
02:47We are taught how to communicate properly to build teamwork and understand each other on the pitch.
02:53The coaches are very professional.
02:55And I enjoyed my overall experience.
02:57So, I see that there are different nationalities here.
03:00So, once I'm able to cooperate with them, I'll be able to play well with them too.
03:06Germany has long supported the youth of Ghana through technical training and sports development.
03:13It's an amazing day, I think, both for German football and for Ghanaian football as well.
03:19I think we see so many young talents, ambitious players here in Ghana.
03:24And I mean, we've seen so many famous Ghanaian players playing in Germany.
03:30The linkages are already there.
03:32They are very strong.
03:33But it's just in time that we build something more structural to help the young players to professionalize
03:41and to find their way into professional football.
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