COMPETITIONS

I would like you to regard my lecture merely as an example for each participant at this symposium to decide for herself or himself which aspects of it can be suitably adapted for use in the situation prevailing in her or his own country.

Let me first for instance draw a picture for you of the competitions for girls and women which come under the umbrella of the German Football Association.

Football for women and girls

In 1970 the German Football Association officially authorised women to form teams and to play football matches.

Developments were more rapid than expected. Women 's teams joined the already existing clubs. Some clubs have even more than one women's tearn. These clubs are either purely football clubs or large clubs which encompass various types of sport.

Girls teams started to be formed about four years after the women started officially playing matches.

There are two age categories: Women over 16 years of age
 Girls under to 16 years of age

The competition systera has been steadily developing ever since 1970.

Women's Football competitions

Since 1970 Championship matches in the 16 regional associations (since 1990, 21
 regional associations)
1974-1990 German championship 16 regional associations took part
 Cup matches in the 16 regional associations (since 1990 there have been
 21 regional associations)
Since 1980 German Club Cup competition
Since 1986 The beginning of regional match categories in 5 associations
1990-1996 German League divided into two groups
Since 1994 Indoor Cup for German league teams
Since 1996 Gennan league fused into one group

women play in various leagues within the federal associations (of 10 - 12 teams) with the possibility of either promotion or relegation. Cup competitions are also staged.

It can be difficult sometimes to form a side of eleven women, but there is still the alternative of trying out other formulas and différent sized teams, such as 7-a-side mini football for instance. Another alternative is to forrn teams for playing 4 - 4. In addition, there are an increasing number of Over-30 teains (in which all the women must be over 30 years of age) which compete either in friendly matches or small tournaments. Mini-football teams can be formed in this age category too.

After a regular match activity had been established, the German championship was introduced in 1970 and the German Club Cup in 1980 qualifying the German national champions and the German Cup winners.

With the introduction of a nationwide match category, the women's German national league, this championship disappeared. The German national league consisted of two groups. The first and second in each group played against each other in the championship semi-finals with the two winners facing each other in the final. Since 1996 however when the women's national league was established consisting of only one group comprising 12 teams with the group winner being simultaneously the German national champion. Since 1996 there has been an Indoor Cup, played in the winter by the teams in the women's national league. In some of the regional associations there is the possibility for women's teams to play indoors.

The leagues: lst Division German national league
 2nd Division federal league
3 rd Division premier league
4th Division association league
5th Division regional league
6th Division area league
7th Division district league

Girls' football competitions

The progress being made to establish football for girls varies considerably in the 21 féderal associations.

There are différent age categories:

B - girls: 14 to 16 years playing time 2 x 40 minutes
C - girls: 12 to 14 years playing time 2 x 35 minutes
D - girls: 10 to 12 years playing time 2 x 30 minutes
E -girls: 8 to 10 years and younger playing time 2 x 25 minutes

As a rule, girls play in teams of seven players on mini-pitches. The number of players in each group varies considerably from region to region. Teams consisting of eleven players are currently being formed. Apart from championship matches there are also Cup competitions.
The regional champion of the B girls' competes in the championships of the federal associations.

Only sides with 11 players will be eligible.
This should act as an incentive for the formation of more girls teams.
Championships and cup matches are also staged indoors in the regional associations in the winter.

Apart from being able to play in clubs, most girls have the chance to play football at school. There is a contest called "training youth for Olympia' for which school championships are staged annually in all age categories with the winners travelling to Berlin for the finals.

Mixed teams

In addition to the steadily increasing opportunity for girls to play in a suitable team, there are also so-called mixed teams in which boys and girls play together. It is very rare, however, for these teams to be really mixed. As a rule, there are no more than one to three girls in a team. Mixed teams exist in the age categories:

C -juniors 12 to 14 years
D - juniors 10 to 12 years
E -juniors 8 to 10 years
F -juniors 6 to 8 years

Mixed teams are either 11 -a-side or 7-a-side. It is nonetheless absolutely essential to persistently continue to form girls-only teams because many girls prefer not to play in mixed teams.