In this article we use the concept of Communities of Practice (CoP) to understand how Swedish school sport teachers enact the admission process, the identification and selection of student athletes, to Swedish national upper secondary elite sport schools (SNESS). Data were gathered by conducting six focus group interviews involving 18 school sports teachers representing six different sports. The findings indicate that the admission process is influenced by and enacted through sport-specific CoPs and include a strategic identification of athletes, a set of tools – physical aptitude tests, sport-specific training, interviews, social activities – and documents (matrices, forms, interview-guides). While the process constitutes individual subjective assessments of athletes, the findings also imply that the teachers’ common engagement is the central enterprise of their collective actions. The admission is a cooperative process where the teachers expend their collective competence, joint cumulative experience, to identify, assess, and select student athletes.

Aim: To describe the development of sport management higher education (HE) in the Scandinavian countries. The article maps the institutions, when the programs started (and dissolved), program level, the amount of sport specific courses (ECTS credits), and internship offers.

Method: The data derive from: (1) the four authors’ personal experience as entrepreneurs of higher education in sport management and their personal study notes (2) brief conversations/contacts with other entrepreneurs of such programs, in 2016 and 2024 respectively (3) archive studies of previous and present program and plans, and (4) literature on sport management higher education (HE) in Scandinavia

Results: Sport management HE in Scandinavia is not a standardized package. Despite commonalities in sporting cultures across Scandinavia, there are differences. Whilst there are strong similarities between Norway and Sweden, Denmark diverges in three respects. First, the Danes never established a national sports university.  Second, in contrast to their Scandinavian neighbors, in Denmark Sport management HE suffers from a clear differentiation in HE level between university colleges and universities. Third, in recent years the Danish governments have introduced regulation that restricts the HE institutions’ capacities and recruitment strategies. As a result, in Denmark there is hardly any offer left to study sport management at university level.

Talent identification aims to discover athletes with qualities that suggest potential

future success in a specific sport. To aid in this quest, physical tests are frequently

used. However, the ability of such tests to predict future sporting success remains

underexplored, especially since it is rare for test results to be retrospectively ana-

lysed to determine whether those who later became successful athletes had fa-

vourable physical test outcomes in their youth. This study aims to analyse the

relationship between physical test results from a young age and future sporting

success in the context of cross-country skiing. A cohort design with a retrospec-

tive approach was utilised. The cohort consists of Swedish cross-country skiers (n

= 193) who underwent physical tests (n = 9) before being admitted into ski high

schools between 2002 and 2006. The test results of this cohort were analysed to

explore their potential to predict future sporting success, using FIS-points, the

official ranking and point system established by the International Ski and Snow-

board Federation. Sporting success has also been analysed in relation to variables

such as ski discipline (sprint and distance), sex and the relative age effect (birth

quartile). In general, it can be concluded that the test results had either no cor-

relation or a weak correlation with future sporting success across sprint and dis-

tance disciplines in cross-country skiing. Consequently, this study questions the

value of physical tests as an instrument in talent identification processes.

IntroduktionEtt av syftena med svenska idrottsgymnasier är att stödja ”…talanger med bäst förutsättningar att somseniorer nå nationell eller internationell elit” (Riksidrottsförbundet, RF, 2012, s. 1). De elever somansöker om att studera vid ett idrottsgymnasium blir bedömda utifrån olika områden, bland annatidrottsspecifika färdigheter och förutsättningar. I detta område ingår mätbara fysiska kvaliteter, såsomsyreupptagningsförmåga (RF, 2012). Följaktligen genomförs tester i flera idrotter, däribland friidrottoch längdskidåkning, där elevers fysiska kvaliteter prövas/mäts (Andersson & Fahlström, underpublicering). I friidrott har analyser visat att det finns svaga samband mellan tester och idrottsligframgång som senior (Hafsteinsson Östenberg et al. 2011). Kvarstår gör om de förekommandetesterna kan användas för att förutsäga framtida idrottslig framgång i exempelvis längdskidåkning,dvs. går det att identifiera vilka elever som kan nå nationell/internationell elit? Mot denna bakgrund haranalyser genomförts av resultaten på fysiska tester genomförda av sökande och därefter antagnaelever till skidgymnasier mellan år 2002–2006.

SyfteSyftet med studien är att med olika bakgrundsvariabler beskriva fysiska testers möjlighet att prediceraidrottslig framgång. Studien har följande frågeställningar:•Kan fysiska tester vid antagning till idrottsgymnasier användas för identifiering av blivandeframgångsrika skidåkare på seniornivå?•Hur påverkas resultaten på testerna av olika bakgrundsvariabler såsom kön och relativ ålderseffekt?•Finns det samband mellan resultaten på testerna och framtida idrottslig framgång (FIS-poäng)?Idrottslig framgång och således framgångsrik skidåkare definieras i denna studie utifrån erhållna FIS-poäng. FIS-poäng är det ranking- och poängsystem som tillämpas av internationella skidförbundet. Genom systemet räknas en poäng ut för varje sanktionerad tävlings vinnare beroende påvinstmarginalens storlek och hur starkt tävlingsfältet är. FIS-poängen för övriga deltagare avgörs av hur nära deras tid var vinnartiden. Ju lägre FIS-poäng en åkare har, desto mer framgångsrik ärskidåkaren.

MetodFör att besvara syftet genomfördes en kohortstudie med en retrospektiv ansats. Kohorten består av engrupp elever (n = 193) vilka inom en viss tidsperiod (2002–2006) genomfört fysiska tester vidantagning till idrottsgymnasier. Dessa fysiska tester har analyserats retrospektivt för att kunnarelateras till senare idrottsprestationer. Datamaterialet som analyserats är förmedlat av Svenska skidförbundet. Materialet består av 193skidåkare och variabler som födelsedata, kön, FIS-poäng samt resultat på fysiska tester genomfördavid antagning till skidgymnasier (Vo2-max, counter movement jump, squat jump, dips, chins,brutalbänk, 10-hopp). Med hjälp av statistiska tester har förhållanden mellan variabler analyserats ochom det finns starka korrelationer mellan olika variabler.

ResultatResultaten visar att majoriteten (ca 70 %) av de 193 skidåkarna som utförde tester inför antagning tillskidgymnasier år 2002–2006 var födda mellan januari och juni, således framträder RAE. Däremotframkom ingen RAE inom gruppen i relation till testresultat. Vidare visar resultaten enbart på svagasamband mellan resultaten både för de fysiska testerna sinsemellan och senare tävlingsframgångar,vare sig på junior- eller seniornivå. Det innebär att de syreupptagnings- och styrkeförmågor somuppmätts vid testtillfället inte kan förutsäga elevers framtida idrottsliga framgång.

DiskussionResultaten av denna studie visar att de tester som används vid antagning till skidgymnasier inte kanförutsäga framtida idrottslig framgång. De bör därför inte tillskrivas en avgörande betydelse vidantagning av elever till skidgymnasierna. Denna studie handlar enbart om en idrott och har därför sinabegränsningar men analyserna, likt tidigare liknande analyser (Hafsteinsson Östenberg et al. 2011),visar att specialidrottsförbund som använder fysiska tester vid antagning till idrottsgymnasier böröverväga vilka fysiska tester som används och hur resultaten på dessa tester värderas. Nuvarandetester kan möjligen visa på vilken fysisk nivå en elev uppnått vid testtillfället, dvs. ett resultat avträningsbakgrund och tidig fysisk mognad (relativ ålderseffekt), men är inte avgörande för vilkentävlingsnivå som kan uppnås som senior. Den uppnådda fysiska nivån vid testtillfället bör därför intesammanblandas med "talang".

Through retrospective interviews with 14 Swedish elite athletes, this qualitative study explores care among the early life of elite athletes. Using Nel Noddings’ care theory as a framework for the data, the study considers caring practices from significant others in the micro-environment of the emerging elite athlete. Athletes highlight the natural care they received as children from their parents and the ethical care they received by their coaches as instrumental in their athletic upbringing, especially during the junior to senior level transition. Consequently, we suggest ethi- cal care supplements natural care. This paper also introduces Noddings’ concept of practice and discusses opportunities and challenges in the coach-athlete relationship based on caring. Implications of this study problematise the role sport organisa- tions play in supporting natural and ethical care among stake- holders in the micro-environment.

StatementSport management is a hands-on field that involves managing and organizing sports events,teams, athletes, and facilities. Therefore, students in Sport management education programsneed opportunities to gain practical experience through internships or other types ofexperiential learning. However, such opportunities may be limited due to the availability ofinternships, funding, or access to industry partners. Against this backdrop, staff and studentsat the Coaching and Sport Management programme (CSM), at the Linnaeus University inVäxjö, Sweden initiated a cooperative process with the purpose to develop a course in whichstudents could integrate their theoretical knowledge into practice.The results of this work culminated in a field-based course (UBL) in which the students wereto implement the learning and theories from other courses in practice. The course has evolvedinto a vital component in preparing students for their future careers in the field of sportmanagement. With a history spanning almost 20 years, over 600 students have successfullycompleted the course. According to a published university report, approximately 70 % of thesegraduates have secured employment in various course-related positions and have developed aprofessional practice network (Andersson, 2020).

AimIn this professional practice abstract, targeted towards the Sport Management Educationsession, the aim is to share experiences on the UBL-course. We will present the field-basedcourse, give examples of students approaches in the course, and reflect on the course outcomes(including the students’ own and stakeholders experiences). Further, we would like to initiatea discussion regarding ‘best practice experiences’ from similar courses.

BackgroundTheoretical knowledge can provide a foundation for effective practice, while practicalexperience can help refine and improve theoretical understanding. However, there can also bechallenges in translating theoretical knowledge into effective practice, and in ensuring thatpractice is informed by the latest theoretical insights. It is imperative that sport managementeducation programs offer students opportunities to transfer the knowledge learned to real lifecases in a sporting context relevant for the students’ future professional career.The sport management field is highly competitive, and there may be limited job opportunitiesfor graduates. Therefore, integrating theory and practice, and give the students opportunitiesof hands-on experience to develop practical skills, and build industry connections is essentialin sport management education to prepare students for the complex and dynamic sportindustry. As such, experimental learning courses are highly relevant for the employability ofstudents in the field of Sport Management.

Design and ImplementationOften fieldwork courses or internships consist of “shadowing”, where the student follows andassist an employee resulting in limited learning opportunities for the student. However, theUBL course has been designed to involve the students in actual sport management projectswhere they are responsible for specific parts of a project or managing the whole project themselves. Hence, the UBL course is mainly project-oriented and is based on assignments incooperation with the (sporting) society, through sports associations/clubs, municipalities andcompanies operating in the sport industry.

Outputs/Outcomes, Reflections and Future DevelopmentStudents in Sport management education need opportunities to gain practical experiencethrough internships or other types of experiential learning in order to integrate theory andpractice that enhance their employability.With 10 years of experience from the UBL course we have seen that the students have had theopportunity to put their theoretical knowledge into a relevant practical context and that theexperiences from the field have enriched and increased the theoretical understanding in sportmanagement. Through this course, the students have initiated contacts with future employers,boosted their c.v. with concrete results, and several of them have been offered permanentemployment before graduation as a result.

Organised school sport is integral to the development pathways of most South African sports. The highly competitive nature of inter-school leagues often prioritises short-term success over long-term player development. The study compared successful and less successful teams in various talent development environments (TDE) and team cohesion variables based on the log position of a high school's tournament (u/15 and u/18 age-groups) and established correlations between these variables. A cross-sectional design was used, and 146 boys (average age: 15.51 +/- 1.23 years) completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ-5) and the Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire (YSEQ) before the 2020 Mazinter Cup. The top three u/18 teams had significantly higher TDEQ-5 (Overall), Alignment of Expectations, Support Networks, YSEQ (Overall Cohesion), Task Cohesion and Social Cohesion scores than the bottom three teams. The results underscore the well-established cohesion-performance relationship. There were no differences at the u/15 level, where players competed in this agegroup for the first time. Moderately strong positive correlations existed between various TDEQ-5 and YSEQ variables. Fostering team cohesion is integral to successful TDEs. Long-term player development and team success can be pursued simultaneously.