Elite sport and education

• Introduction Previous studies have shown that successful sport careers often are based upon the notion that athletes are living a life in harmony and also have had the opportunity to successfully combine a sport career and a parallel academic career (Patriksson, 1995; Stråhlman, 2006). This presentation focuses on aspects related to parallel career opportunities for elite athletes in the academy. The aim is to describe 3 different concerns in both the civil and the athletic development. Method 36 Swedish athletes were interviewed (26 men -10 women) all with experience of top-level sport on international basis and varied experiences of academic involvment. One third of the group had finished their sport career before or during the 1990s and the others in the 2000s. The respondents represented various sports. The issues discussed highlight the aims and the questions where formulated to grasp the essence of the respondents’ experiences. Results Three aspects of career support where detected. (1)The student athlete is admitted to regular university courses/programs on the same terms as other students, but progressing the studies with different types of adapted curriculum. The design of the support is in collaboration with the Training Manager and Director of studies at the university institution. The candidate's sport activities are completely outside university activities and responsibilities. (2)The elite athlete is accepted on courses/programmes at the same premises as above (1), but the university also provides support for the student's athletic development. This support is a joint collaboration between the Academy and the Sport organizations (federations, sports clubs and other stakeholders). A steering committee and a resource centre are established with the task of organizing and managing the sport activities. (3)The athlete is admitted to a degree program or course where one of the objectives is to develop the student's knowledge in different sports. Advanced research programs are tied to this kind of support with the goal of creating a complete academic environment as collaboration between university institutions, stakeholders from related sectors (public authorities, sport organizations, industrial development and private stakeholders) and the athlete. In addition, there will also be opportunities to develop progression for students' sports development through collaboration with the government sanctioned study form sports schools (sv: idrottsgymnasier). Discussion The standpoint is that a prospective student has the ambitions to both succeed in the academic career and the athletic career. If the universities (along with serious actors) can implement the above outlined actions and development stages, the cooperation between sport organizations and universities can become an international centre for the development of sporting knowledge (through research) and education. Knowledge development about sport is through research the key to sustainable development and the foundation on which successful parallel carers can be established.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Idrottsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Sport and Fitness Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Sport education university parallell career

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

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