Monk – When Laura tells her classmates what she does in her free time, she often gets surprised, sometimes even derogatory looks. The thirteen year old is used to it. “Then they say, ‘I’d be afraid to die!’ or ask, ‘Really soccer? Not soccer?'”
More and more girls are playing American football
That’s right: American football, not soccer, the Germans’ favorite sport. Laura has big eyes, long brown hair which she wears gathered in a ponytail. Her smile is huge, as is her passion for sports. She wants to soon become a coach for the Munich Cowboys U11 and join the national team. At U13, where she is still training, she is one of three girls. The trend is on the rise, according to the Munich Cowboys’ youth coaches.
Girls and boys train together
A few years ago, people were still happy when a girl was in the youth team, reports Christian Leischnig. Laura and her friends do the same workout as boys of the same age. It’s nice for other girls to play on her team, Laura says, but she doesn’t even need to. It’s great that everyone can play here together.
The risk of injury in many sports is higher than in American football
“These are tough years for them now, but if they get through them they’ll be excellent players in the under-16s and women’s team.”, says the coach. He finds it good for girls and boys to train together in their youth. All three girls play pass defense in defense. No one here perceives American football as a dangerous sport, not even parents. “I think parents who are afraid don’t even send their children to play soccer,” says Leischnig. He says the risk of injury is higher in many sports than in soccer, such as cheerleading.
The NFL is always under criticism
But one thing is clear: The NFL, the best football league in the world, is repeatedly criticized. Since 2010, at least ten former NFL players diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) have committed suicide. In disease, the brain degenerates after repeated trauma. Cowboy trainer Leischnig knows the danger. “But the sport has changed a lot in terms of head protection,” he says.
Children first start with flag football and later tackle football is introduced
This includes ever better helmets, which cost around 500 euros, but also stricter rules. With cowboys, kids start with flag football, which is almost completely non-contact. In the Under 13, where Laura trains, the normal “tackle” football is introduced. From U16 only tackle football is played. Most clubs don’t start tackling football until the under-16s.
The goal is the women’s team
Laura doesn’t mind this, on the contrary: she wants to continue in the women’s team after the Under 16. In the adult area, women and men are separated. She prefers to play quarterback, then point guard. The student is on trial for the national team. Her brother plays in the Under 11, one of the reasons why she wants to be a coach there. The family is crazy about football. The father works in the association, everyone watches NFL games on TV on weekends.
“The NFL is becoming more and more present in Germany”, says Leischnig. The association notices this in the number of members and the age of initiation. Children are always younger when they start playing soccer. The NFL already has flag football programs in schools in several German cities, including Munich. Let’s see where football will be in Germany in a few years and where Laura will play.
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