Language & Literature

Each year in summer, things really get going at the Leipzig Sports School, and pretty ambitiously, too: for three weeks, under the guidance of the Goethe-Institut, 50 young people from around the world study German intensively in the morning and chase soccer balls in the afternoon. And this is by no means an exclusively male domain. Astonishingly many girls turn up and prove that they are absolutely able to be winners.

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Fun and excitement from the start

What happens when young people who have grown up in different cultures and have never seen each other before, encounter each other in Leipzig sounds really good, even after a very short time. Learning German and literally getting your kicks doing so under the supervision of certified language and soccer trainers – you cannot experience language more actively than that.

Of course, lots of time remains for other fun things: guided excursions and a leisure-time program organized by the support team, with sight-seeing opportunities, museums, exhibitions, concerts, theater and film.

Camp of winners

Double and dorm rooms are available in the sport school’s residential complex. Boys and girls are accommodated separately here. Top athletes need healthy, high-energy food, and the meal plan is correspondingly abundant and varied.

The course’s high point is the final match for the Goethe Cup. “Tor” (Goal), “Eckball” (corner kick), "Schieß doch den Ball" (shoot the ball), "Querpass" (cross pass) – or "Oh nein" (oh no!): the soccer being played here is demanding; and urged on, cheered and lamented in total German style. But no matter what the result, everyone has won.

And by the way, for those who are not all that keen on sports, but prefer more harmonious tones instead, should check out the German course “German plus Music” – and above all listen in.