Borussia Dortmund Walking Football – Coaching Team

I am 71 years old and have been retired for five years. But as the saying goes: "Use it or lose it." And so, since autumn 2020, I have been coaching the Walking Football team at BVB. In my youth, I had the opportunity to play seven times for the German Football Association's youth national team. At the age of 18, I signed my first professional contract with 1. FC Nürnberg and fulfilled my dream of becoming a professional footballer. Subsequently, I played for Kickers Offenbach from 1972 to 1977, Borussia Dortmund from 1977 to 1980, and Fortuna Düsseldorf from 1980 to 1984. After 298 appearances in the Bundesliga and 120 appearances in the second division, I retired from active football in 1984 and have held the DFB coaching license since then. Walking Football is a fantastic activity for people over 60 who still want and can move. It's good to maintain communication among each other and to approach training sessions with high motivation. I notice that everyone involved is having a tremendous amount of fun. There's a positive energy during the training sessions. This makes me happy, and I feel content when everything goes perfectly during the sessions.

My name is Markus Lage. I am 61 years old and I come from Menden. In 1990, I obtained the DFB coaching license in Grünberg/Hessen, and since then, I have been working as a coach in the youth and senior sectors for many years. I played actively in the amateur field. I have been a devoted fan of BVB since my earliest childhood, and I have been a club member since 1984. In 2021, I joined BVB's Walking Football team, and I find it very enjoyable and fulfilling. Walking Football is a great opportunity for people in my age group to continue playing football. The fundamental concept of Walking Football has inspired me and motivated me to dust off my football shoes. We have a fantastic community here, all very dedicated and enthusiastic about what we do. Since 2022, I have been actively coaching the team together with Amand Theis. There is still a lot of potential for development in the Walking Football sector, and I would like to contribute and get involved in this area.