The aim of this thesis is to deepen the understanding of sports schools, particularly the methods and decision-making processes underlying student admissions to these schools, as well as the significance of the schools in shaping athletic careers.

The thesis comprises four studies. The first is a scoping study that maps peer-reviewed research on sports schools. It shows that research on sports schools has expanded significantly, particularly since the 2010s, underscoring the schools’ dual role as both sites for individual development and as integral parts of elite talent systems. The second study, based on the concept of communities of practice, is a case study of admission processes at sports schools. Using six focus group interviews with school sport teachers (n = 18), the study shows how admissions take place within sport-specific communities, shaped by sports cultures and assumptions about talent. Despite the subjective nature of athlete assessments, collective engagement among teachers plays a central role in their joint decision regarding which students to admit. The third study, a retrospective cohort study, explores the use of physical tests in admission processes. Analysing test results from cross-country skiers (n = 193), the study finds no or weak correlation between admission test performance and later sporting success, raising questions about the use of such tests in talent identification processes, such as admission to sports schools. The fourth study, informed by the concept of horizons for action, is a case study based on semi-structured interviews, exploring senior-year student athletes’ (n = 10) career development. The study shows how social and cultural contexts shape career development and career decisions, such as choosing a sport, changing clubs and applying to sport schools. While all student athletes aspired to elite careers, their dreams have shifted into pragmatically rational intentions within bounded opportunities. The findings highlight the segmented nature of career horizons among student athletes and their limited awareness of alternative pathways.

Together, these studies provide new insights into the functioning of sports schools, as well as into admission processes and career development within them. They offer valuable perspectives for refining admission procedures and career guidance.