Rosi Fröhlich: From cruciate ligament fate to football icon in the region

Rosi Fröhlich: From cruciate ligament fate to football icon in the region

Rosi Fröhlich, a well-known figure in German women's football, was born in 1964 and is one of the sport's pioneers. She discovered her passion for athletics at an early age before switching to football in 1982 at the age of 18. This decision led her to a player pass for TSV Vilsingen, which was then playing in the association relay, the top division for women. The career took off quickly, but fate had other plans. In the knockout round of the German championship, TSV Vilsingen was eliminated against Klinge-Seppach, in which the legendary Silvia Neid also played. Tragically, Fröhlich suffered her second cruciate ligament rupture shortly afterwards, which marked the end of her playing career.

But Rosi Fröhlich's journey in football did not end there. After her active time, she dedicated herself to promoting talent and took on several important tasks in the Donau/Iller and Sigmaringen districts. She also heads the Sigmaringen regional support group and became youth relay leader in 1996. In 1999, she continued her career and took over the management of the women's regional league 1 and 2. Her achievements have been recognized many times - from being named youth coach of the year in 2013 to the association's letter of honor and numerous other honors. She even coached the SV Alberweiler B juniors in the Bundesliga after she acquired her B soccer license.

The current situation in women's football

The problem of injuries, particularly cruciate ligament tears, is a serious issue in the world of women's football. According to recent reports, over 30 players missed the World Cup due to such injuries. Among them are some of the best footballers such as Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema and the award-winning Alexia Putellas, who was injured just before the opening game of Euro 2022. Daily Gazette explains the reasons for this high number of injuries, which include anatomical differences, a wider pelvis and a greater tendency to do the knock-knees position.

The statistics speak volumes: female soccer players are six times more likely to suffer cruciate ligament tears than their male colleagues. The influence of the menstrual cycle on performance is increasingly being taken into account, and the Swiss national team has already started to cycle-oriented its training plan. Players can track symptoms via an app to prevent injuries. Such measures are important because, despite all the prevention, the risk of cruciate ligament injuries remains a central problem in women's football Sports show thematised.

Rosi Fröhlich herself is currently taking a break, but remains active in youth work, and her experiences are invaluable for future generations of athletes. The challenges surrounding injuries are great, but just as Fröhlich has shown, the current players will also fight back and realize their dreams.