Conference at EMCA Connect

On 8 March 2025, as part of the international EMCA Connect event, the STAY! Conference took place – a key milestone for the STAY! – Decreasing teenage dropout in sport project. The event brought together project partners and representatives from around 30 multisport clubs across the European Multisport Club Association (EMCA) network, creating a valuable space for sharing knowledge, experiences, and practical solutions aimed at reducing teenage dropout from sport.

From the beginning, STAY! has been driven by a clear goal: to understand why teenagers are leaving sport and to develop concrete ways to keep them engaged within their sporting communities. Our focus has been on creating conditions that allow young people to grow and thrive, regardless of whether they are competitively driven or not. Through the project, we’ve empowered coaches, introduced new roles for young people – such as volunteers, assistants, and mentors – and supported the development of local policies that enable long-term youth involvement in sport.

The project’s first phase focused on research and tool development. We began with a desk research report that analysed existing strategies and best practices across Europe, followed by a series of focus groups with coaches, athletes, parents, and club staff to gain deeper insights into the everyday challenges facing both sports organisations and young athletes. Based on these findings, we developed an e-learning platform – a digital educational tool for coaches and clubs designed to offer concrete methods and tools for preventing youth dropout from sport.

The platform was presented during the conference and received overwhelmingly positive feedback – with several clubs expressing interest in translating the content into their own languages, further demonstrating its practical value and potential for broader impact.

During the conference, project partners presented their local implementations and innovative approaches:

Levski Sport for All (Bulgaria) conducted focus groups with coaches and PE teachers and implemented various activities, including recreational karate camps, assistant coaching and refereeing roles, volunteering at international events, and youth-led media teams.
Fondazione S.S. Lazio 1900 (Italy) focused on removing financial barriers through the “One year of free sport” action plan, developed in collaboration with schools and sports sections, providing free training and equipment across four different sports.
Športna unija Slovenije (Slovenia) developed alternative engagement models, especially for girls, through recreational training sessions and skill development workshops on topics such as sports psychology, time management, nutrition, and injury prevention – all aimed at personal growth and fostering a positive connection with sport.
HAŠK Mladost (Croatia) implemented a wide range of activities – including volunteering at sports events, working in a media team, participating in recreational training sessions, engaging in a coaching development programme, and receiving academic support through tutoring and educational workshops.
TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Germany) activities included recruiting and training young referees, assisting with event organization for initiatives such as Kids karneval and Come together, and leading recreational training sessions involving both children and their parents. Youth were also involved in social media management, helping to create engaging content for the club’s channels.

These examples illustrate how flexible, locally adapted approaches can provide young people with opportunities that go beyond traditional competitive sport.

The response from EMCA members was outstanding – the conference sparked in-depth discussions, questions, and strong interest from many organisations eager to apply the STAY! approach in their own contexts. In response to this interest, we are preparing a practical handbook that will compile the most successful activities and methods developed throughout the project and make them available to all who wish to support youth retention in sport.

The STAY! project is entering its final implementation phase, but its impact is only just beginning. We continue to exchange knowledge, provide training, and foster collaboration to help build an inclusive, flexible, and sustainable sporting culture for young people. Our goal remains clear: to ensure that sport remains a space where young people feel welcome, safe, and valued – regardless of performance or ambition.

We would like to thank all partners, coaches, athletes, and volunteers who, with their ideas, work, and dedication, have helped shape STAY! into what it is today – a movement for sport that truly includes.

Conference at EMCA Connect

KEY PROJECT INFO