Rapid Vienna sets new standards: all women's and youth games in the Körner Center!

Rapid Vienna sets new standards: all women's and youth games in the Körner Center!

A new milestone in the club's history of SK Rapid Vienna has been set: all home games of the youth and women's teams will be played in the club's newest jewel, the Körner Training Center, carried out. This decision aims to revolutionize talent development within the club and create a unified identity for all team members.

The Körner training center, which only opened in June 2023, covers an area of ​​3,285 square meters and offers six grass and three artificial turf pitches. There is also a functional building with twelve cabins, modern physiotherapy rooms and a wellness area as well as analysis and meeting rooms. This state-of-the-art infrastructure ensures professional playing conditions all year round and will particularly benefit the women's teams that were founded in 2022 and currently play in the 2nd Bundesliga.

Goals and benefits of centralization

Centralizing all games will not only increase the attractiveness of top talent, but also create better marketing opportunities. Head coach Katja Gürtler sees the move as a decisive step in establishing the women's department in Austrian football. Managing Director Sport Steffen Hofmann emphasizes that synergy effects should facilitate the transition between age groups and thus strengthen club identification. The first championship games will take place in the new center in the next few weeks.

The rapid path to a talented future is based on the successful models of large clubs such as Ajax Amsterdam and FC Barcelona. In the long term, the location is to be established as a “forge” for the next generation of football talent. This means that the Körner training center is not just a place for training, but a completely new home for the entire club family.

Support for trainers

Another important aspect in the further development of women's football at Rapid is the new coaching trainee program, which is currently entering its second round. Interested trainers can register now. This program aims to actively promote the development and promotion of female coaches in girls' and women's football. Applications are open and the program schedule will be announced as part of the application process.

In a three-year dual system, participants have the opportunity to remain active with their own club. Up to six trainers can be supported per six months, with weekly further training provided in the Rapid Training Center. Mentors from different areas of sports psychology and training science support the participants in gaining experience and building networks. With this approach, Rapid not only promotes individual skills, but also sets an example for gender diversity and equality in football.

The effort to promote women in football is part of a broader strategy that affects not only Rapid, but Austrian and international football. As part of the “Strategy Women in Football FF27”, numerous measures were adopted to increase the visibility and participation of women in all areas of football. This initiative aims to increase the number of active players, coaches and referees by 25 percent and double the media reach of women's football. DFB provides a detailed overview of the goals of this far-reaching strategy.

With these comprehensive measures, SK Rapid Vienna shows that it is ready to take a pioneering role in the holistic promotion of talent and to actively shape the area of ​​women's football. The coming months will show how the new concept works in everyday league life.