ABSTRACT
The actual situation of German elite youth sport is closely related to the social changes taking place in Germany. The demographic trend in Germany is leading to fewer children and young people engaging in sporting activity and becoming part of the elite youth sport system. In addition to sport offers, there are a wide range of alternative leisure facilities available (such as the media) and the changes in the educational policy created by the introduction of the eight-year high school, reducing the number of years at Gymnasium (upper secondary school) from nine to eight years and all-day school, are certainly having an impact on the leisure time of young children and young people (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund, 2013).
