The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted their inaugural youth flag football camp in Germany on Sunday. German-born linebacker Julius Welschof led the event, which took place at the Borussia Dortmund (BVB) facilities in Dortmund, Germany.
Welschof was joined by coaches from the Dortmund Giants, a local American football club. Young participants learned the basics of the game at BVB’s youth academy, located near Signal Iduna Park. BVB Legend Patrick Owomoyela was also present to welcome the participants.
More than 60 local boys and girls attended the camp, many of whom experienced American football for the first time. “We saw some great talent today,” Welschof remarked. “Many of these young people had not played the game before but showed a lot of promise in how they threw and caught the ball. You could definitely see how they were eager to learn more. But most importantly, everyone had fun.”
The Steelers expressed gratitude for the facilities provided by BVB. “It was a great time for everyone involved at the camp, held at a first-class facility provided to us by BVB,” Welschof said.
The camp was part of a busy weekend for Welschof in Germany, which included interviews with local media and a tour of BVB’s stadium and training ground.
Welschof highlighted the personal significance of the event. “It was special,” he stated. “When I left Germany for the States in 2018, football wasn’t really a topic. It was just soccer. To see how the sport has grown since I left, it’s a cool thing to see. The sport keeps growing in Germany every year and I’m really happy to be a part of that.”
