The main reason for parents following their kids in sports in Norway is to give them access to fun with friends and a helthy future. The mindset is to give everyone the opportunity to have fun with sports, it's not focused on making champions, but with nearly every child in some sort of happy sports it's always some who want to work harder to reach their goals.
I agree, you raise your kids to be honest and happy (and as extrovert as they can be). Money and status are 2nd, even 3rd, priorities. I followed my son through countless hours when he played football, handball, swimming, cross-country, jiujitsu, chess, lots of other outdoor activities, and even played Bakugan and Pokemon with him and his friends. His mom (foreigner) had no interest, but to me it was just a pleasure. I raised him the same way as my parents vividly did when I was a kid, for instance, my dad was our volleyball coach, a legend, and took us to 2nd division. Today my son is a happy young man. He has super empathic skills and takes great care of everybody in our family. He has a good career in banking (senior position at age 25 - much bcs of his personality), bought his own apartment/car, lots and lots of friends (with some besties), and a magnet to the girls. The only aspect I somewhat failed to do with him is to encourage his handyman skills. He's not too keen on taking own initiative remodeling the house, yard work, fixing the car, etc., but when he's guided/encouraged he does a great job. After all, he's a Gen Z. Now look at my best friend's kids. He and his wife followed in their parents footsteps and never took their kids to any sport. I commented on that one time and my friend just blew it off: "When they're not interested, why should I use my time on them?" Well, they're not interested bcs he was not interested/guided/encouraged. His attitude always baffled me as he still regards my parents as his pseudo-parents as he always came with us to all sorts of sports and outdoor activities. Ok, his kids have excellent careers, but that's it. I don't think they have many (any) friends, never heard they had a girl/boyfriend, and the apartments/cars were paid for by my friend. When we meet for dinner etc, they all manifest themselves as smart kids, but they look bleak, confused and sad compared to my son.
Sport are an important thing for Norwegians. I played football from I was 6 years old until I was 25. The video describes our sports culture very well with the youth sports. But I thing our strategy is logical: statistics says that Norway need around 3000 football players to make 1 elite player (Norwegian top tier and higher). It's a higher chance to make elite players if we allow everyone to participate 😊
from Norway here, i grew up with football, handball, land hockey, ice-skating, table tennis and volleyball, it wasn't any pressure, just a fun thing to do with mates really, I don't really do any of those sports now, but i am 100% certain its helped my work ethic and competitive mindset
As a Norwegian who was born in the 80s, I played a bit of football with the other kids, but I tried organized sports like handball, archery, shooting guns, table tennis, judo, ice skating/hockey, ski jumping (yes i was scared), downhill skiing/alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, orienteering, mountain biking, and probably other things I forgot. What I liked the most and that kind of stuck with me growing up was the downhill skiing and table tennis. Two very different sports, but very enjoyable.
When I read the comments, I noticed something important. Several of you trained regularly during your childhood and teen years. This creates a habit that will (most likely) carry over to your adult years. This includes me. I started doing rhythmic gymnastics when I was five. Think I quit when I was nine. My family went to the public swimming pool weekly until I turned 16. I started training martial arts when I turned 16. My siblings did handball, football (soccer for the U.S. readers) as well as tennis. I still train martial arts, but I do dancing as well as weightlifting. I am a woman in my mid thirties by the way. Fun fact: P.E. is a mandatory school subject in Norway. This includes high school (U.S.)/college (U.K). Even students with disabilities do P.E. over here! Source: Me, my friends and relatives who are teachers.
Its so much more than talent and training. Best runners, best goalscorers men and women, best beach volleyball players, golfer, tennis player, long distance track runners (have you tried to play beach volleyball, golf or tennis in Norway half of the year? October through May? or football or running track for that matter? Vikings are different, they may not be better, but different.
Norwegian culture is all about letting children be children - not only in sports. In schools, in kindergarten, at home; Kids should be able to play and explore their world in their own way. This makes for healthy development all-round
Fotball is definitely the most popular sport among children in Norway but organized through a club or just for fun at a playground. It is important that parents don’t push kids to participate in a sport but rather support them when the kids find the sport they like. Many kids that show great potential at a young age often quit the sport when the other kids show better improvement and catches up with them. Back in my school days there was a kid in class that excelled in most sports except high jumping and long jumping. He was very good in football because he could run faster than everybody else. In spite of his potential for sports he became a drummer and was good at that too. I have seen video clips of Ole Gunnar Solskjer from Norway cup when he was about 12 to 14 years old. There was nothing in those clips that indicated he would become a great footballer. First of all he run like a girl. Still he is a living example of someone with determination can become very good at what they are doing.
Growing up, I competed in athletics, cross-country skiing, tae kwon do and track running. It was all for fun, and I was never pressured into anything. Now I mostly do powerlifting (with some skiing and running on the side), and I can't really imagine my life without sports.
Before I watch, I think it's the focus on allowing children to just have fun and delaying the competitiveness until later. For instance, Haaland was known to be a clumsy and untalented footballer at a young age. Some now think that it's because tall children grow too quickly for the brain to adjust. If football is too competitive, it can lose out on those talents before they get to shine, leading to few tall footballers.
I think this misrepresents it a little. It makes it sound like the point of the system is to get great athletes, when it's really about children's health and mental well-being. It's expected of parents to let their kids at least try a few organized activities, and they often encourage their kids to do so. Not just sports, but things like music, art and whatever else is available. Football is a clear winner, and available even in small towns.
It would be realy interesting to see statistics of medals won in Olympics and world championships before and after the establishment of Olympiatoppen,Oslo in 1988. The shearing of knowledge between all sports is the key. If someone discover a smart method for runners it will also benefit skiers and bikers. I would also think that new groundbreaking knowledge is easey to get for any trainer at any level in the country.
Ok, before watching, at 2:13. I'll have to guess it is the way we aproach sports from childhood, not for competition...but for fun. I'm 53 years old now. I have always done cross contry skiing, that is sort of given. :) Alpine, Telemark, orientering (don't know what it is called in English, but it has to do with maps and a compass), a lot of lifting iron for 30+ years and a LOT of different martial arts...and swimming. Never competed...just for fun. :) And now...let's move on. :)
Olympiatoppen has benefitted the average wannabe athlete, or hobby athlete, tremendously. When I started lifting weights in the 80's in Norway I was severely undernourished wrt protein. I read Muscle & Fitness, Ironman and Flex and even imported protein supps from the US. Which the customs agents automatically assumed were steroids. But Olympiatoppen eventually paved the way for the actually needed intake for an athlete. "You mean Olympiatoppen actually recommends 1.8 gram of protein per kg of bodyweight for a strenght athlete"`? That was mind blowing for some of us: You mean we are actually being listened to in a rational way? Sure enough, today something like Proteinfabrikken is mainstream. (Not affiliated, but a very early customer.) Gymgrossisten. Even Kinsarvik in Bergen were early adopters. Yes, it has resulted in some dudebros thinking they can build muscle only drinking whey protein shakes and not eating their fish and potatoes. But you gotta take the bad with the good. OK, rant over :)
(Norway and Scotland are both currently middle/long-distance powerhouses. Interestingly, they've got almost the exact same population, 5.55 millions and 5.44 millions)
The main reason for parents following their kids in sports in Norway is to give them access to fun with friends and a helthy future. The mindset is to give everyone the opportunity to have fun with sports, it's not focused on making champions, but with nearly every child in some sort of happy sports it's always some who want to work harder to reach their goals.
also dont forget that we Norwegians are privileged enough to let our kids do sports instead of working them on a farm. God bless oil.
I agree, you raise your kids to be honest and happy (and as extrovert as they can be). Money and status are 2nd, even 3rd, priorities.
I followed my son through countless hours when he played football, handball, swimming, cross-country, jiujitsu, chess, lots of other outdoor activities, and even played Bakugan and Pokemon with him and his friends. His mom (foreigner) had no interest, but to me it was just a pleasure. I raised him the same way as my parents vividly did when I was a kid, for instance, my dad was our volleyball coach, a legend, and took us to 2nd division. Today my son is a happy young man. He has super empathic skills and takes great care of everybody in our family. He has a good career in banking (senior position at age 25 - much bcs of his personality), bought his own apartment/car, lots and lots of friends (with some besties), and a magnet to the girls. The only aspect I somewhat failed to do with him is to encourage his handyman skills. He's not too keen on taking own initiative remodeling the house, yard work, fixing the car, etc., but when he's guided/encouraged he does a great job. After all, he's a Gen Z.
Now look at my best friend's kids. He and his wife followed in their parents footsteps and never took their kids to any sport. I commented on that one time and my friend just blew it off: "When they're not interested, why should I use my time on them?" Well, they're not interested bcs he was not interested/guided/encouraged. His attitude always baffled me as he still regards my parents as his pseudo-parents as he always came with us to all sorts of sports and outdoor activities. Ok, his kids have excellent careers, but that's it. I don't think they have many (any) friends, never heard they had a girl/boyfriend, and the apartments/cars were paid for by my friend. When we meet for dinner etc, they all manifest themselves as smart kids, but they look bleak, confused and sad compared to my son.
Sport are an important thing for Norwegians. I played football from I was 6 years old until I was 25. The video describes our sports culture very well with the youth sports. But I thing our strategy is logical: statistics says that Norway need around 3000 football players to make 1 elite player (Norwegian top tier and higher). It's a higher chance to make elite players if we allow everyone to participate 😊
from Norway here, i grew up with football, handball, land hockey, ice-skating, table tennis and volleyball, it wasn't any pressure, just a fun thing to do with mates really, I don't really do any of those sports now, but i am 100% certain its helped my work ethic and competitive mindset
As a Norwegian who was born in the 80s, I played a bit of football with the other kids, but I tried organized sports like handball, archery, shooting guns, table tennis, judo, ice skating/hockey, ski jumping (yes i was scared), downhill skiing/alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, orienteering, mountain biking, and probably other things I forgot. What I liked the most and that kind of stuck with me growing up was the downhill skiing and table tennis. Two very different sports, but very enjoyable.
Growing up, I did different types of dancing/, swimming, football, gymnastics, floorball, and also tried a lot of other sports like horseriding.
When I read the comments, I noticed something important. Several of you trained regularly during your childhood and teen years. This creates a habit that will (most likely) carry over to your adult years. This includes me. I started doing rhythmic gymnastics when I was five. Think I quit when I was nine. My family went to the public swimming pool weekly until I turned 16. I started training martial arts when I turned 16. My siblings did handball, football (soccer for the U.S. readers) as well as tennis. I still train martial arts, but I do dancing as well as weightlifting. I am a woman in my mid thirties by the way.
Fun fact: P.E. is a mandatory school subject in Norway. This includes high school (U.S.)/college (U.K). Even students with disabilities do P.E. over here!
Source: Me, my friends and relatives who are teachers.
Its so much more than talent and training. Best runners, best goalscorers men and women, best beach volleyball players, golfer, tennis player, long distance track runners (have you tried to play beach volleyball, golf or tennis in Norway half of the year? October through May? or football or running track for that matter? Vikings are different, they may not be better, but different.
Norwegian culture is all about letting children be children - not only in sports. In schools, in kindergarten, at home; Kids should be able to play and explore their world in their own way. This makes for healthy development all-round
Fotball is definitely the most popular sport among children in Norway but organized through a club or just for fun at a playground. It is important that parents don’t push kids to participate in a sport but rather support them when the kids find the sport they like. Many kids that show great potential at a young age often quit the sport when the other kids show better improvement and catches up with them. Back in my school days there was a kid in class that excelled in most sports except high jumping and long jumping.
He was very good in football because he could run faster than everybody else. In spite of his potential for sports he became a drummer and was good at that too. I have seen video clips of Ole Gunnar Solskjer from Norway cup when he was about 12 to 14 years old. There was nothing in those clips that indicated he would become a great footballer. First of all he run like a girl. Still he is a living example of someone with determination can become very good at what they are doing.
Growing up, I competed in athletics, cross-country skiing, tae kwon do and track running.
It was all for fun, and I was never pressured into anything. Now I mostly do powerlifting (with some skiing and running on the side), and I can't really imagine my life without sports.
Before I watch, I think it's the focus on allowing children to just have fun and delaying the competitiveness until later. For instance, Haaland was known to be a clumsy and untalented footballer at a young age. Some now think that it's because tall children grow too quickly for the brain to adjust. If football is too competitive, it can lose out on those talents before they get to shine, leading to few tall footballers.
from age 5 until 12 i did swimming & from 5-14 i played football. I played football the last 2 years on two teams. from 15 to 18 i did kickboxing.
I think this misrepresents it a little. It makes it sound like the point of the system is to get great athletes, when it's really about children's health and mental well-being. It's expected of parents to let their kids at least try a few organized activities, and they often encourage their kids to do so. Not just sports, but things like music, art and whatever else is available. Football is a clear winner, and available even in small towns.
It would be realy interesting to see statistics of medals won in Olympics and world championships before and after the establishment of Olympiatoppen,Oslo in 1988.
The shearing of knowledge between all sports is the key. If someone discover a smart method for runners it will also benefit skiers and bikers. I would also think that new groundbreaking knowledge is easey to get for any trainer at any level in the country.
Study someone like Haaland. He will say "I was lucky" even though he knows it wasn't luck. That's the Norwegian mentality.
Ok, before watching, at 2:13. I'll have to guess it is the way we aproach sports from childhood, not for competition...but for fun. I'm 53 years old now. I have always done cross contry skiing, that is sort of given. :) Alpine, Telemark, orientering (don't know what it is called in English, but it has to do with maps and a compass), a lot of lifting iron for 30+ years and a LOT of different martial arts...and swimming. Never competed...just for fun. :) And now...let's move on. :)
50% in Germany, 93% in Norway, doing organised sports. That means in a way like 8 million in Germany, 500 000 in Norway
Ronny from from norway here
And as a comment to my own comment...shooting. Shooting and hunting, and fishing, is a big..at least was, part of Norwegian culture.
Olympiatoppen has benefitted the average wannabe athlete, or hobby athlete, tremendously. When I started lifting weights in the 80's in Norway I was severely undernourished wrt protein. I read Muscle & Fitness, Ironman and Flex and even imported protein supps from the US. Which the customs agents automatically assumed were steroids.
But Olympiatoppen eventually paved the way for the actually needed intake for an athlete. "You mean Olympiatoppen actually recommends 1.8 gram of protein per kg of bodyweight for a strenght athlete"`? That was mind blowing for some of us: You mean we are actually being listened to in a rational way? Sure enough, today something like Proteinfabrikken is mainstream. (Not affiliated, but a very early customer.) Gymgrossisten. Even Kinsarvik in Bergen were early adopters.
Yes, it has resulted in some dudebros thinking they can build muscle only drinking whey protein shakes and not eating their fish and potatoes. But you gotta take the bad with the good. OK, rant over :)
Ronny from Norway
You should react to the Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway) vs Josh Kerr (Scotland) beef, lol
(Norway and Scotland are both currently middle/long-distance powerhouses. Interestingly, they've got almost the exact same population, 5.55 millions and 5.44 millions)
Genetics is an important part of success-for Scandinavia at least-- compared to the rest of the world!
Im from Norway, though i never were a part of any sport i did partake in the red cross and scouts.
Norway is not Somalia, norway is world best sport nation. think winter sport to
Russia is not here
norway is the best sport nation in the world have if you take winter sport and sommer sport. Ronny from norway.
Norway is before usa