Introduction:
In many countries football is the sport with the highest absolute number of injuries. Many effective injury prevention programs have been developed, such as the FIFA 11+ (kids) program. Nevertheless, lower extremity injuries remain a problem in football. Unsuccessful implementation might be a reason.

Objectives:
The project’s aim was to implement an injury prevention warm-up program in amateur football (FIFA 11+) suiting the Dutch context. Methods Interviews with trainers and expert meetings were organized to optimize 11+ (kids) for the Dutch national context. An implementation plan was developed with stakeholders’ input. A pilot implementation was evaluated among trainers via questionnaires and interviews using the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) model and national promotion was initiated.

Results:
Due to a lack of ball- and game-like exercises trainers would generally not use 11+ (kids). Based on 11+ (kids), experts developed VoetbalFit: 94 age-specific exercises focused on injury prevention and motor development. Actions in the implementation plan were integrating VoetbalFit exercises with videos in an online trainers platform (Rinus), the football association developing a vision on injury prevention / motor development for youth and promoting VoetbalFit. Pilot implementation in 2020 among 63 trainers (reach) showed trainers evaluated VoetbalFit on average with a 7.8 (effectiveness), 80% at least regularly used VoetbalFit (adoption) and 57% would keep using VoetbalFit (maintenance). Lack of time hindered using the prescribed two exercises per training (implementation). Videos at www.knvb.nl providing background information were used for promotion.

Conclusions:
The 11+ program was not fully suitable for the Dutch context, therefore VoetbalFit was developed. Trainers appreciated VoetbalFit, but structural use could be improved by shortening the duration and linking exercises in Rinus to training sessions. Implementing VoetbalFit in Rinus, an already existing platform for the target group, and collaborating with partners seemed valuable during implementation. When implementing injury prevention programs, other sports associations could also consider this approach.

Keywords: Implementation injury sports football

Other info: Maaike Cornelissen, Victor Zuidema: VeiligheidNL Joeri Houniet, Edwin Goedhart: KNVB Yordi Vermaat, Geert Savelsbergh: Athletic Skills Model Joske Nauta, Evert Verhagen, Femke van Nassau: Amsterdam UMC Frank Backx, Sander van de Hoef: UMC Utrecht