The project aims to implement a four-year project (from January 2015) with the conception, establishment and evaluation of ball sports groups in a ball sports center. The focus is on health-related exercise promotion and performance-related sports promotion for a broad group of pupils. The establishment of ball sports groups (BAGs) is intended to give children interested in sport the prospect of development and health promotion and to introduce them to the demands of target sports. The two main pillars of sports promotion in schools and clubs should cooperate with each other in a targeted and systematic manner. The existing support program of the state of Hesse "Talent Search - Talent Promotion" (Hessisches Kultusministerium & Landessportbund Hessen e.V., 2006) with its basic training across all sports at primary school age is to be supplemented by integrative ball sports training at the Melsungen Ball Sports Center. The project is being scientifically monitored throughout by the Institute for Sport and Sports Science at the University of Kassel. The following tasks are associated with the objectives of the project:

• Creation of a concept for the Melsungen ball sports center
• Creation of an integrative ball sports concept for children of primary school age
• Intensifying cooperation between schools and clubs
• Establishment of ball sports groups for all children interested in sports
• Accompanying screening of talented children
• Evaluation of the project measures by systematically recording the performance development of the participating children.

A period of four years is planned for the implementation of the "Ball Sports Center" project. In the future, the modular structure of the BSZ will result in the continuation of scientific support in the basic, advanced and follow-up training phases (follow-up projects).