Research articles

Age-specific national team handball players’ experience of their own development environment

September 17, 2024

Max Bergström¹, Ingrid Okkenhaug¹, Rune Høigaard^1,2 & Stig Arve Sæther^1,3¹ Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of
Science and Technology, NTNU; ² Department of Sport Science and
Physical Education, University of Agde

Research into talented athletes has a strong tradition within sports sciences research where central questions deal with athletes’ development processes which take place in various phases and transitions. Through the use of focus group interviews, this study has examined 20 (10 female and 10 male) youth national team players (U19) in handball and their experience of their own development environment, and how their expectations related to a professional career as senior players were related to gender differences. The main findings in the study were the athletes lack of specific career goals, nor were there any clear gender differences in how the athletes described their own experiences. The athletes experienced two main challenges in the form of completing a dual career (school vs. sports), and ambiguous advice from the coaches related to their development as handball players. The analysis further showed that the players had many similarities in their answers, which prompted the research group to reflect on whether the players had a normative understanding of how ideal development takes place, or whether the method (focus group interview) and implementation could explain this similarity in perceptions. In the discussion, we take a closer look at two conditions that may have influenced the results in the form of; a) the research context and the sample consisting of age-specific national team players and not in a club context (normativity, self-presentation), and b) the significance of using a focus group interview within this context (conformity, social comparison). In conclusion, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using interviews and especially focus group interviews among athletes in an age-specific national team context.

Click here to read this peer reviewed article in Swedish in Scandinavian Sport Studies Forum, Vol. 15, 2024

MAX BERGSTRÖM is a PhD Student in sports at the Department of Sociology and Political Science (ISS) at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. Bergström is a part of the research group Skills and performance development in sports and school (SPDSS). His main research interests include career transitions and dual careers among elite athletes in various sports.

INGRID OKKENHAUG is a PhD Student in sports science at the Department of Sociology and Political Science (ISS) at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. Okkenhaug is a part of the research group Skills and performance development in sports and school (SPDSS). Her main research interests include physical activity levels and participation, inclusion and adapted physical activity.

RUNE HØIGAARD is a Professor in Sport Science at the University of Agder in Norway and Visiting Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. In addition he is Head of Sports Psychology at Olympiatoppen Sør [Olympic center South]. His primary field of research is sport psychology, particularly group dynamics, leadership, and coaching. He has many years of practical and research experience working with athletes and teams in various sports, including at World Class level. He has published over 100 scientific articles in national and international journals and has authored ten books relevant to sport psychology.

STIG ARVE SÆTHER is a Professor in sport science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Sociology and Political science. Main research interests; talent development, youth sport and sport psychology. His largest research project is a longitudinal 10-year follow-up study. Sæther is head of the research group: Skill and Performance Development in Sport and School (SPDSS).