Within the framework of the successful IFA 2016 Fistball U18 World Championships IFA hosted its first IFA Youth Congress.

Over 35 representatives participated in the inaugural IFA Youth Congress organized by the recently established IFA Youth Commission chaired by Uwe Schneider (GER) and discussed possible concepts and ways how to increase the appeal of fistball for the youth and how to develop fistball by sustainable promotion.

Fritz Unger, Vice-President of the German Fistball League (DFBL) presented the new DFBL Youth Concept for U8 to U12 . This scientifically developed concept proposes to play only with three players in each team with a fix rotation to increase the basic skills education of all players and makes it possible to develop fistball also in rural areas with fewer young children. Many member federations welcomed the newly developed concept as a very good basis for the established game of fistball with 5 players in leagues.

Next to the futures cooperation of IFA with the International School Sports Association (ISF) and financial subsides the participants discussed also possible changes of technical rules like for example the reduction of the ball weight for U 12 to U 18. The present chairwomen of the IFA Medical and Anti-Doping Commission Dr. Giana Hexsel (BRA) supported the idea reducing the number of injuries.

The recommendations of the IFA Youth Congress as well as the feedback of the players and the coaches of the World Championship will be integrated in the final decision making process of the IFA Board of Directors concerning the tested new aspects of the rules concerning service, coaching zone, time-out regulations and number of players.

All participants and member federations have been asked to continue the cooperation and communication via a designated IFA Youth platform on facebook. People who want to join the platform are asked to inform office@ifa-fistball.com or the chair of the IFA Youth Commission u.schneider@ifa-fistball.com

Minutes of the IFA Youth Congress