Thirteen aspiring football coaches aged between 14 and 19 have spent two weekends at the Danish Football Association (DBU) headquarters in an attempt to develop their leadership skills.

The pilot project, entitled Teenager, Sport ... and Leader?, was started by Benny Würtz and Peter Wagner who work in the field of leadership. While the DBU has not been responsible for organising the course, it has taken a keen interest in its aims, activities and successes.

"We teach them communication, coaching and conflict management," said Würtz. "At the same time they get specific tools usable in everyday situations. It is a good thing for them to put on their CV. The focus is on football coaches because there is a natural leadership role in their job and because it is a huge challenge to be a leader in sport."

Poul Gilling, head of education at the DBU, explained the association's curiosity about the project. "It has some very interesting perspectives and in this case the participants can hopefully turn into role models for other young people," said Gilling. Although the DBU runs a number of leadership courses, none currently caters for teenagers or young adults.