Christian Thue Bjørndal

• Seippel, Ørnulf Nicolay; Gjesdal, Siv; Bjørndal, Christian Thue & Waldenstrøm, Stein Robin Syse (2026). The grass is greener on the other side! On club transfers in Norwegian youth football. Managing Sport and Leisure. ISSN 2375-0472. doi: 10.1080/23750472.2026.2689644. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv; Jørgensen, Thomas Mangor & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). Longitudinal changes in basic psychological needs and performance perceptions in specialized sport schools at the lower secondary level. Psychology of Sport And Exercise. ISSN 1469-0292. 87, p. 1–10. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2026.103238. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Self-determination theory (SDT) provides a valuable framework for understanding psychosocial environments within specialized sport schools. This study examined the development of satisfaction with the needs for autonomy (i.e. volition, locus of causality and choice), competence, and relatedness, along with perceived performance, among students in specialized sports schools at the lower secondary level. A total of 239 sport school students (39.3% female, 2.9% other) reported their need satisfaction each fall and spring semester across three years. Using latent growth curve modeling, the findings revealed a complex pattern: while average levels of basic psychological need satisfaction remained relatively stable, perceived performance showed a modest decline over time. In addition, there was significant individual variability in change over time for the three basic psychological needs. Higher initial levels of need satisfaction were associated with higher initial perceived performance, and those with greater perceived performance exhibited more stability in their perceived locus of causality. Notably, perceived performance was positively linked to competence satisfaction, while its association with relatedness reflected stable between-person differences rather than developmental trends. Gender differences also emerged, as boys reported higher competence satisfaction and more positive changes in perceived locus of causality and relatedness over time. However, the trajectories of competence satisfaction and perceived performance were similar for both genders. These findings underscore the nuanced interplay between basic psychological needs and performance perceptions, highlighting the importance of individual variability and gender differences in shaping sport school student’ experiences.

• Saarinen, Milla; McDougall, Michael; Gjesdal, Siv & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). Student-Athletes’ Mental Health in the European Sport School Context: A Scoping Review. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology (JCSP). ISSN 1932-9261. 20(2), p. 266–296. doi: 10.1123/jcsp.2024-0029. Full text in Research Archive
• Amundsen, Roar; Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege & Myklebust, Grethe [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). The Development, Validation and Reliability of the Sports Injury Prevention Behavior Determinants Questionnaire. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. ISSN 0905-7188. 36(7). doi: 10.1111/sms.70329. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  ABSTRACT Valid data on behavioral determinants are essential to enhance adherence to injury prevention (IP) programs. This study reports the development and validation of the Sports Injury Prevention Behavior Determinants Questionnaire for youth handball and football players (12–17 years) and their coaches. Using the Health Action Process Approach framework, we followed consensus‐based guidelines, including conceptualisation, focus groups, cognitive interviews, and a cross‐sectional study for both players and coaches. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability testing, and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed for the coach questionnaire only. Focus groups identified training load management, pain and injury management, and injury prevention training as key IP elements. These were integrated with relevant HAPA constructs during item development and refined through cognitive interviews. A cross‐sectional study (337 coaches, 528 players) and CFA informed the final coach version, which was subsequently evaluated using a test–retest design. PCA included 59 coaches while the reliability analysis included 45 due to drop out. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated good reliability (> 0.75) for all constructs in the coach questionnaire, although self‐efficacy constructs showed small systematic differences (≤ 0.04; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.06). PCA led to minor refinements of the questionnaire. The Sports Injury Prevention Behavior Determinants Questionnaire is the first validated tool to assess IP behavioral determinants in youth handball and football coaches, with applicability across team sports. The player version followed the initial steps to ensure good face and content validity but requires refinement based on CFA and further reliability testing and PCA.

• Øydna, Marie Loka; Nielsen, Jens Christian; Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). ‘I would have studied while I showered’: A Foucauldian reading of how young student-athletes regulate their free time. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. ISSN 1012-6902. doi: 10.1177/10126902261426777. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). Power, discipline and subjectification in the Norwegian Football Association’s Talent Pathway. Sports Coaching Review. ISSN 2164-0629. doi: 10.1080/21640629.2026.2642492. Full text in Research Archive
• Gjesdal, Siv; Kristensen, Jan Åge; Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2026). A conditional process analysis of general self-esteem in student-athletes in lower secondary sport schools. Frontiers in Psychology. 17, p. 1–10. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1771557. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objective: Specialised sport schools at the lower secondary level aim to support the holistic development of young athletes. Consequently, understanding how to influence student-athletes’ self-perceptions both inside and outside of the sporting context is of interest. Grounded in Achievement goal theory, this study examined whether achievement goal orientations were related to self-esteem, both directly and indirectly through perceived sport performance. Additionally, we investigated whether athletic identity moderated the indirect relationship between achievement goal orientations and self-esteem. Methods: The sample comprised 579 student-athletes aged 12 to 16 years (Mage = 13.93; SD = 0.85), recruited from seven Norwegian lower secondary sport schools. All participants responded to items concerning their general self-esteem, goal orientations, perceived performance and athletic identity. Results: Regression analyses revealed that athletes’ achievement goal orientations were directly and indirectly (via perceived performance) related to their self-esteem. However, athletic identity did not moderate the indirect relationship. Conclusion: Overall, the findings suggest that student-athletes who view success as doing their very best tend to be more satisfied with their own sport performance and experience higher self-esteem. Conversely, athletes who view success as being the best are generally less satisfied with their performance and report lower self-esteem. Notably, these relationships do not appear to be stronger in athletes with a stronger identification with their athlete role.

• Gjesdal, Siv; Jordalen, Gro & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Norwegian student-athletes’ motivation for choosing lower secondary sport schools: exploring latent profiles and their relationships with outcomes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. ISSN 1612-197X. doi: 10.1080/1612197X.2025.2549889. Full text in Research Archive
• Saarinen, Milla; Phipps, Daniel J.; Jordalen, Gro & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Sport and School Burnout in Norwegian Lower Secondary School Student-Athletes: A Person-Oriented Approach. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology (JCSP). ISSN 1932-9261. 19(4), p. 472–494. doi: 10.1123/jcsp.2024-0036. Full text in Research Archive
• Øydna, Marie Loka; Saarinen, Milla; Nielsen, Jens Christian & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). “You can definitely tell she's truly committed”: student-athletes’ discursive construction of athletic commitment during transitions in secondary school. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 7. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1658234. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In this paper, we present how two female and one male student-athlete discursively construct and make sense of the “committed athlete”, highlighting key shifts across transitions between school levels and high-performance sport environments. Applying a Foucauldian perspective on power/ knowledge and vignettes from follow-up interviews, this paper highlights the relational nature of commitment, showing how it is shaped by broader discourses and institutional structures. Our analysis shows that a discourse of athletic performance investment dominates these transitions, yet the student-athletes also negotiate less instrumentalised constructions of the committed athlete as someone with internal love for the activity itself. However, as they move into upper secondary school programmes and more professionalised club environments, they are faced with fewer possibilities to enact alternative meanings of commitment. We argue that student-athletes positioned as talented are better able to benefit from holistic development initiatives within the talent development system, while those outside these hierarchies face limited possibilities to negotiate alternative forms of commitment. This analysis invites a critical rethinking of how dual career pathways might expand the discursive possibilities for what it means to be a committed athlete.

• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Munkvold, Emilie Christina; Hägglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald & Møller, Merete [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Why does it work? Proposed biomedical effect mechanisms of exercise-based injury prevention programmes in football (soccer) and handball: a scoping review of 104 studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine. ISSN 0306-3674. 59(20), p. 1435–1442. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-109802. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objective To describe the proposed biomedical effect mechanisms in research on exercise-based injury prevention programmes in football (soccer) and handball. Design Scoping review of randomised controlled trials (RCT), cohort studies and case studies. Data sources MEDLINE via PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases were searched from 2000 to 2024. Eligibility criteria Studies were included if they described exercise-based injury prevention programmes in football (soccer) or handball and provided a biomedical rationale or proposition of effect mechanisms. Peer-reviewed studies of all ages and both sexes at elite, subelite or amateur level were eligible. Results We included 104 studies (78 RCTs, 25 cohort studies, 1 case study) with sample sizes ranging from 10 to 4556 participants. Most studies (83%) were published after 2010, and interventions were reported to have an effect in 82% of the studies. Four main themes emerged describing the proposed effect mechanisms: neuromuscular control (47%), strength (39%), range of motion (11%) and physical fitness (3%). Definitions of key terms related to the intervention were provided in only 19% of studies, measurements of specific biomedical effect mechanisms were conducted in just 59% of studies. Conclusion Neuromuscular control and strength were the predominant proposed effect mechanisms for injury prevention programmes in football and handball. To better establish effect mechanisms of exercise-based interventions, future research should consistently define key terms related to the interventions and strive to identify and test causal mechanisms to optimise injury prevention programmes.

• Bjørndal, Christian Thue & Espedalen, Lars Erik (2025). From acceleration to resonance: reimagining Norwegian youth sport in a rapidly changing world. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy. ISSN 1751-1321. doi: 10.1080/17511321.2025.2579507. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper explores how social acceleration is reshaping the structures, experiences, and meanings of youth sport in Norway. Drawing on Hartmut Rosa’s relational sociology, we examine how the intensification of training, professionalisation, and commercialisation reflects broader societal dynamics that increasingly prioritise optimisation, standardisation, and control. Through three illustrative case examples: (a) the institutional growth of sport schools; (b) the marketisation of youth football; and (c) the transformation of young athletes’ temporal and lived experiences, we examine how these changes contribute to emotional detachment, burnout, and a growing misalignment between sport institutions and the developmental needs and interests of young people. In response, we introduce Rosa’s concept of resonance as a diagnostic and normative framework. This perspective foregrounds relational, affective, and embodied engagement. Resonance, we argue, offers a compelling alternative to dominant acceleration logics, providing a conceptual anchor for youth sport policies, coach education, and institutional design. We conclude by outlining how resonance-based approaches can help reimagining youth sports as a more inclusive, sustainable, and meaningful practice—one that supports young athletes not just as performers, but as human beings moving and transforming through sport.

• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly M.; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). What lies behind injury prevention behaviour in youth handball and football? A cross-sectional nationwide study of behavioural constructs in 865 coaches and players. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. ISSN 1440-2440. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2025.10.009. Full text in Research Archive
• Hausken-Sutter, Solveig; Moen, Christian; Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Myklebust, Grethe & Møller, Merete [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). #Utviklingsklar: a club-based intervention to develop plans and practices for injury prevention in youth sport-acceptability, practicality, possibilities and challenges among club leaders, coaches and workshop leaders. BMJ Open sport & exercise medicine. 11(4). doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002766. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Effective youth sport injury interventions exist, but their use in applied settings is limited by low coach adherence and lack of contextual adaptation. To address this, the #Utviklingsklar intervention was developed, a club-based intervention for youth handball and football, based on interdisciplin …

• Gagnås, Henrik Larsen & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). The impact of the academy classification model on coaching practices in Norwegian football: a Foucauldian analysis of governance and player development. Sports Coaching Review. ISSN 2164-0629. p. 1–15. doi: 10.1080/21640629.2025.2550837. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study explores the impact of the Academy Classification Model (ACM) on coaching practices in Norwegian boys’ football academies. Introduced in 2017, the ACM aims to standardise player development through structured criteria and data-driven assessments. Drawing on interviews with five academy managers and a Foucauldian lens, the study examines how the ACM operates as a technology of governmentality, shaping coaching through norms of standardisation, surveillance, and accountability. While the ACM supports professionalisation and institutional structure, it constrains coaching autonomy and promotes conformity by privileging measurable outcomes over contextual and relational aspects of practice. The dual role of ACM mentors - as both developmental supporters and compliance enforcers - exemplifies this tension. Biopolitical practices such as growth testing and workload monitoring further reduce development to quantifiable outputs. The findings call for governance models that balance accountability with pedagogical responsiveness, and support sustainable, context-sensitive, and relational approaches to coaching and talent development.

• Mills, Joseph & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Endurance running coaching’s mechanical topography: a Foucauldian discourse analysis of coaches’ knowledges. Sports Coaching Review. ISSN 2164-0629. doi: 10.1080/21640629.2025.2541142. Full text in Research Archive
• Gilson, Laurens; Martins, Ricardo; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Rudd, James Robert; Gjesdal, Siv & Beuckels, Maxime [Show all 20 contributors for this article] (2025). Fundamental movement skills in grassroots soccer: A comparative study of coaches’ perceptions and practices in 9 European countries. International journal of sports science & coaching. ISSN 1747-9541. 20(5), p. 1814–1827. doi: 10.1177/17479541251336673. Full text in Research Archive
• Schubring, Astrid; Bergentoft, Helene; Caspers, Andreas; Jaczina, Kristof; Lundvall, Suzanne & Jacobsson, Jenny [Show all 17 contributors for this article] (2025). Sustainable Elite Youth Sports: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Social Dimensions. Sustainable Development. ISSN 0968-0802. 33(5), p. 7575–7590. doi: 10.1002/sd.3526. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sports have been identified as an important contributor to social sustainability, and the benefits for health, well-being, and social learning in young people are well evidenced. Youth elite sports, however, have been criticized as being unsustainable. Following calls for a more socially sustainable development of youth elite sports, research on the topic has increased. However, studies vary in disciplinary origin, concepts, content, and methodology. The aim of this systematic scoping review is to identify and synthesize the current disciplinary research knowledge. Five disciplinary databases were searched. Based on six eligibility criteria and a double-blind review process, a total of 99 articles were selected. Findings were first charted in tables and then examined using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Key findings are that there is a lack of conceptual clarity regarding social sustainability, and that the field of study is multidisciplinary with distinct thematic research areas (athlete development, athlete health and well-being, athlete development environment). Most research focuses on athlete-related micro aspects and less on organizational and societal dimensions. Inequity issues were found regarding social diversity, including an overrepresentation of soccer and men's sports. Furthermore, mostly quantitative methodologies are used. A theoretically based and empirically tested understanding of social sustainability is needed as well as research addressing aspects of holistic youth development. Attention should be paid to contextual and macro-level influences. Knowledge about preventive programs and practices that advance social sustainability in youth elite sports is necessary. Organizational conditions and funding programs should be created to increase trans- or multidisciplinary research.

• Saarinen, Milla; Phipps, Daniel J.; Kuokkanen, Joni; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Bentzen, Marte & Ommundsen, Yngvar [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). Burnout trajectories among adolescent student-athletes: The role of gender, success expectations, and parental affection. Psychology of Sport And Exercise. ISSN 1469-0292. 79. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2025.102831. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In this longitudinal study, we examined the trajectories of sport and school burnout symptoms (exhaustion, cynicism, inadequacy) during the transition to lower secondary sport school among Norwegian student-athletes aged 13–14 years (n = 265; 58,5% males, 41,5% females). We also investigated how student-athletes’ gender and individual success expectations, and their parents' reported levels of affection and success expectations, were associated with different burnout trajectories. Student-athletes completed associated questionnaires at the beginning and end of the first school year, while parents completed questionnaires at the end of the school year. Linear mixed models showed that sport and school burnout symptoms increased over the school year. Females reported higher baseline levels of sport burnout, and males lower baseline levels of school burnout. Low individual success expectations were associated with higher baseline levels of sport and school burnout, and increase in school burnout symptoms over time. High parental success expectations were associated with lower baseline levels of school-related exhaustion. Sport inadequacy increased for student-athletes whose parents reported either affection levels and success expectations that were either both high or both low. The results suggest that it is important that sport schools take the dual pressure student-athletes may experience into consideration, and provide them with adequate support during the transition to lower secondary education. In addition, interventions aimed at increasing parental knowledge of beneficial and harmful ways of involvement in student-athletes’ lives are needed to facilitate student-athlete wellbeing.

• Sweeney, Liam; Rubia, Alfonso de la; Taylor, Jamie & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2024). Looking beyond relative age to understand relative advantage and disadvantage in talent development. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 6. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1470944. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In this perspective article, we argue for a broader consideration of relative advantages and disadvantages in youth sport; a lens that considers the complex biopsychosocial factors that influence athlete development beyond relative age. We begin with a brief overview of Relative Age Effects (RAEs), with a particular focus on the proposed underlying mechanisms, followed by a discussion of the cultural and organisational considerations and implications that talent systems must consider when implementing interventions to counteract RAEs. We conclude by proposing key directions for future research in respect to RAEs and talent development more broadly. We argue that there is a need to consider the highly complex nature of RAEs, but also that there are no clear solutions to the issue of RAEs in youth sports, and that proposed solutions may come with unintended consequences. This should encourage us to experiment more, not less, with diverse ways of providing meaningful sports experiences that promote learning, psychosocial development, and performance. We suggest an urgent need for greater practical and research focus on supporting coaches, as they have the greatest capacity to understand the needs of individual athletes. In addition, systemically working towards equal access to skilful coaches. We encourage a shift in focus beyond descriptive methodologies of RAEs toward transformative research methodologies that include action-based research, complex interventions that incorporate context-sensitive qualitative methods, and other participatory research approaches.

• Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Hausken-Sutter, Solveig Elisabeth Sand; Møller, Merete; Myklebust, Grethe & Grindem, Hege (2024). Exploring the interplay of interpersonal and contextual dynamics in youth sports injuries: a comprehensive narrative review. BMJ Open sport & exercise medicine. 10(3). doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-001964. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Injuries are recognised in sports and exercise medicine as not isolated incidents but complex outcomes. This is because an athlete’s health trajectory is understood to be shaped by dynamic, complex linkages between individual performance, biology, and the wider social and cultural contexts and systems in which individuals perform. Despite this recognition, little attention has been paid to how interpersonal and contextual dynamics can potentially affect the risk of injury by influencing the choices and decisions made by coaches, parents and athletes. To address this gap, this narrative review bridges insights from sociocultural studies in sports with the findings of sports injury research. The narrative review aims to identify and summarise how interpersonal and contextual dynamics influence the risk of youth sports injuries. The results reveal the pressures faced by athletes, often leading to compromised health. Moreover, the review underscores the importance of designing complex interventions and strategies to promote healthier practices in youth sports. Specifically, intervention programmes should prioritise raising awareness of injury risks, cultivating effective communication skills and fostering supportive training environments.

• Saarinen, Milla; Phipps, Daniel John & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2024). Mental health in student-athletes in Norwegian lower secondary sport schools. BMJ Open sport & exercise medicine. 10(2), p. 1–5. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-001955. Full text in Research Archive
• Storm, Louise Kamuk; Svendsen, Annemari Munk; Stambulova, Natalia; Barker, Dean; Ronkainen, Noora & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2024). Cultural leadership in physical education and youth sport: Consensus from a Nordic Think Tank. Scandinavian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (SJSEP). 6, p. 1–9. doi: 10.7146/sjsep.v6i.141284. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper is the product of a Nordic Think Tank. The purpose was to unify experienced educators and expert researchers to (a) provide a set of working definitions for cultural leadership in physical education and youth sport, and (b) set an agenda for future research and educational practice in both contexts. A cultural leader is the professional and social role of a person who has legitimacy (is in the position) and responsibility to develop, maintain, and (if needed) attempt to change culture of a group of learners, such as pupils or athletes, in the service of good (i.e., helps pupils or athletes to thrive inside and outside school or sport; are continuing to learn, develop in a holistic way, and meet their potential). Six postulates representing consensus views of the invited group are proposed: (1) cultural leadership is a meta-function that permeates all other pedagogical functions of the physical education teacher and the youth sport coach; (2) today cultural leadership is more important than ever; (3) cultural leadership in physical education and youth sport must be in the service of good; (4) cultural leadership in physical education and youth sport requires specific competencies and virtues; (5) culture is co-produced, but the physical education teacher and youth sport coach have a special responsibility; (6) cultural leadership should be integrated in physical education teacher education and youth sport coach education in the future; and future research should explore teachers and coaches as cultural leaders to inform future educational practices.

• O'Sullivan, Mark & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2024). Reconceptualising Constructive Alignment within the epistemological distinction of ways of knowing in a higher education coach development course module. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. ISSN 1740-8989. doi: 10.1080/17408989.2024.2439969. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background The professional education of coaches, coach developers and academics is a pressing challenge for national governing bodies and educational institutions. Central to this challenge is the cultivation of coaching proficiency and the ability to foster meaningful interactions with athletes and teams. Constructive Alignment has emerged as a valuable approach in higher education to enrich teaching and learning practices. However, as Constructive Alignment has shifted from a theoretical concept to practical implementation, it has encountered certain challenges. Critics argue that its apparent step-by-step simplicity can inadvertently create an illusion of administrative control, thereby misaligning with the intricate reality of pedagogical work and student learning. These misalignments may, in turn, perpetuate traditional teacher-centred approaches. Purpose In this paper, we propose an innovative solution: integrating James J. Gibsons’) epistemological distinction between different ways of knowing into coach education modules to support Constructive Alignment. This integration acknowledges the epistemological distinction that underlies different ways of knowing and provides a means to alleviate tensions, fostering a more cohesive learning environment. The integration supports coach educators and coaches to grapple with the complexities of teaching and learning in higher education and national governing body coach education programmes. Focus Our primary focus centres on designing a coach education module that immerses students in strategically tailored learning activities, optimising their prospects of achieving intended learning outcomes while contributing significantly to the design of assessment tasks. To illustrate the practical application of our approach, we present an in-depth ‘walk-through’ of a coach module grounded in the principles of Constructive Alignment and underpinned by the epistemological distinction between different ways of knowing. Concluding thoughts Exploring these concepts can help equip coaches, coach developers, and academics with a more effective and dynamic educational framework that aligns theory with practice within the coaching domain. Furthermore, recognising the epistemological distinction that guides different ways of knowing can alleviate tensions and create a more cohesive learning environment. Supporting Constructive Alignment can promote meaningful learning activities, enhancing students’ knowledge of coaching and optimising their chances of achieving intended learning outcomes.

• Øydna, Marie Loka; Nielsen, Jens Christian & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2024). Power, discourse, and practice: exploring athlete development as an educational discursive practice in a Norwegian lower secondary sports school. Sport, Education and Society. ISSN 1357-3322. doi: 10.1080/13573322.2024.2387799. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Norwegian lower secondary sports schools offer athlete development programmes that have a dual focus, both on the sports development and the education of student-athletes. Critical analysis of these programmes is vital given that such offerings are shaped by multiple power relations that have both positive and problematic consequences. This qualitative study set within the context of a Norwegian lower secondary sports school seeks to offer novel insights related to how policy and coaching practices for athlete development are informed by broader discourses within a school setting. The study has two main objectives: (a) to explore the discourses that school coaches draw on in their construction of the ‘ideal’ student-athlete, and (b) to investigate the disciplinary potential of the individual-oriented practices utilised to regulate and enforce student-athletes’ adherence to the requisite norms. We have adopted a Foucauldian-inspired theoretical framework to examine the sociocultural construction of particular ‘types’ of student-athletes. The sports programme, we argue, seeks to educate responsible student-athletes who are capable of making rational decisions about their individual training and healthcare. However, this individualised responsibility can be a problematic ideal because it constitutes a form of institutional governance achieved through self-governance. As such, in a school setting, it operates as a way both to encourage and condition the ways in which student-athletes can develop and adapt in creative, meaningful, and appropriate ways.

• Røsten, Stian; Sæther, Stig Arve; Aspvik, Nils Petter & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2023). Embedded, Embodied, Enculturated, and Enabling Processes: The Identification and Evaluation of Sporting Talent by Ice Hockey Coaches in Norwegian Youth National Teams. International Sport Coaching Journal. ISSN 2328-918X. 11(1), p. 113–123. doi: 10.1123/iscj.2022-0058. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Elite sports systems are characterized by structured attempts to identify, select, and develop talented athletes and to increase the likelihood that athletes will achieve future international success. Studies of such systems have focused mostly on the procedures and measures that are intended to improve talent identification, but less attention has been given to the crucial role of coaches. The aim of this case study is therefore to explore how coaches of Norwegian youth ice hockey national teams identify and evaluate sporting talent within these structured settings. The data were generated using nine semistructured interviews. These interviews included questions about how coaches identify talent and discussions about four hypothetical examples of ice hockey players, each with specific histories and skill sets. Building on recent developments in motor learning research, we contend that coaches identify and select talent using embodied (rather than entirely rational or cognitive) processes. These approaches are embedded in the ebb and flow of situated sports performances, and shaped by the broader and unique cultural settings in which they are situated. The results of this study show that talent identification and evaluation of sporting talent cannot, and should not, be separated from the subjectivities of the coaches themselves or from their individual preferences. The implications of this study for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.

• Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Gjesdal, Siv & Toering, Tryntsje Tsjitske (2022). Transforming coach education for the 21st century. In Petry, Karen & Jong, Johan de (Ed.), Education in sport and physical activity : future directions and global perspectives. Routledge. ISSN 9780367433604. p. 228–237. doi: 10.4324/9781003002666-24. Full text in Research Archive
• Øydna, Marie Loka & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2022). Youth athlete learning and the dynamics of social performance in Norwegian elite handball. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. ISSN 1012-6902. doi: 10.1177/10126902221140844. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study examines how the social interactions of youth handball players are entangled with the ideals, beliefs and norms associated with youth athlete learning in Norwegian handball and communicated through coaching practice. This qualitative study uses Goffman's interactional sociological lens to explore how players strategically manage their interactions with peers and coaches by balancing the risks of overuse and injury with the need to be seen as promising, committed players. Our data collection was based on four focus group interviews and five individual interviews with 24 female youth handball players. The athletes reported that they conformed with the social rules and expectations of acceptable behaviour in handball because they wished to avoid being discredited in the eyes of their peers and coaches. Additionally, they engaged with these expectations through self-censorship and behavioural caution, because doing so allowed them to sustain their identity as promising athletes within the current framework of athlete development. They also feared being perceived as less committed to their development. The findings highlight how the normative expectations of youth athletes affect their sense of agency and control, the behaviours they engage in, and their understandings of what it means to be a good athlete. An understanding of how athletes perform socially in ways that facilitate opportunities for ongoing development will help to facilitate more productive, ethical and meaningful practice and pedagogies.

• Herrebrøden, Henrik & Bjørndal, Christian T. (2022). Youth International Experience Is a Limited Predictor of Senior Success in Football: The Relationship Between U17, U19, and U21 Experience and Senior Elite Participation Across Nations and Playing Positions. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 4. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.875530. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Athlete participation in youth international competitions is often regarded as crucial to the attainment of future success. However, the link between participation and performance in sports at youth levels and senior levels is unclear at best. To understand this relationship better we conducted two studies of male football players. In Study 1, we examined adult performance at the upper levels of football using a factor analysis and identified the characteristics that define what we termed a “Super Elite” level, which is the highest level of participation. This outcome measure was used in Study 2 to explore further the link between youth international experience and athletes' Super Elite experience. Overall, our results indicated that youth international experience is a limited predictor of participation at the Super Elite level of football. Participation at the U21 level was the strongest, most consistent predictor of Super Elite level participation. U17 participation was found to be either an insignificant or a negative predictor of subsequent participation in international football. The effect of U19 participation on later participation was partly significant, but weaker than the effect of U21 participation, and depended on the national context and the playing positions of the athletes. When looking at the effect of different youth career types, careers involving U21 international experience were the strongest predictors of later careers as Super Elite athletes. National governing bodies that want to ensure success in talent identification and development should therefore consider focusing fewer resources on youth international competitions in age categories before adulthood. A total of 1,482 players who had national football team experience at either the U17, U19, U21, or senior levels were included in our studies.

• Gjesdal, Siv; Bjørndal, Christian T. & Luteberget, Live (2022). The relationship between the perception of reduced performance due to injury or illness and basic psychological need satisfaction in Norwegian youth elite handball: a cross-lagged panel analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (SJSEP). 3, p. 76–82. doi: 10.7146/sjsep.v3i.120880. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study investigated the relationship between perceived reduction in performance due to injury or illness (RPII) and basic psychological need satisfaction in youth elite handball. Participants were 174 elite youth handball players between 15 to 18 years of age, from five different sport schools. It was a quantitative study, with two time points (one week apart), resulting in a crossed-lagged structural equation model. Competence and relatedness satisfaction were found invariant across the two time points, autonomy was not. The structural model showed good fit ((S- B χ²) = [df = 130, N= 174] = 182.327, p < .0017; CFI = .96; RMSEA = .05 [.03-.06], and SRMR = .08). Competence (β= .64, 95%CI: .51, .76), relatedness (β= .77, 95%CI: .66, .88) and RPII (β= .51, 95%CI: .37, .66) showed moderate temporal stability. When accounting for previous levels of the basic psychological needs, RPII negatively predicted competence (β= -.20, 95%CI: -.35, .83) and relatedness (β= -.16, 95%CI: -.30, -.01). Taken together, these findings suggest that experiencing RPII can have implications for basic psychological need satisfaction in youth elite handball, showing that factors other than psychosocial ones may play a role therein.

• Sæther, Stig Arve; Feddersen, Niels Boysen; Andresen, Eirik Emil & Bjørndal, Christian T. (2022). Balancing sport and academic development: Perceptions of football players and coaches in two types of Norwegian school-based dual career development environments. International journal of sports science & coaching. ISSN 1747-9541. 17(6), p. 1270–1282. doi: 10.1177/17479541221111462. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sports-friendly and elite sport schools seek to support pupils by providing balanced support which is intended to facilitate success both in sport and in academic work. This study investigates how ambitious football players in Norway experience the advantages and challenges of undertaking a ‘dual career’ as student-athletes. Eight players and five coaches (two club coaches and three school coaches) in total were interviewed from two sports-friendly schools and two elite sports schools, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. In the Elite Sport Programmes, the close integration of the school and club settings enabled coaches and student-athletes to plan and manage the overall workload and development of the student-athletes more easily. In contrast, players in the less structured Sports-Friendly Programmes experienced more concerns related to workload coordination but were also given more responsibility for their own decision making. This helped to facilitate better self-determination among the student-athletes but also increased their risk of overuse injuries. Our results indicate how different dual career development environments offer varying benefits, risks and developmental opportunities for student-athletes.

• Aksum, Karl Marius; Brotangen, Lars; Bjørndal, Christian T.; Magnaguagno, Lukas & Jordet, Geir (2021). Scanning activity of elite football players in 11 vs. 11 match play: An eye-tracking analysis on the duration and visual information of scanning. PLOS ONE. 16(8). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244118. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Visual perception in football ("soccer" in the U.S.) is increasingly becoming a key area of interest for researchers and practitioners. This exploratory case study investigated a sub-set of visual perception, namely visual exploratory scanning. The aim of this study was to examine the scanning of four elite football midfield players in an 11 vs. 11 real-game environment using mobile eye-tracking technology. More specifically, we measured the duration and information (number of teammates and opponents) of the players' scanning behavior. The results showed that the players' scanning duration was influenced by the ball context and the action undertaken with the ball at the moment of scan initiation. Furthermore, fixations were found in only 2.3% of the scans. Additionally, the results revealed that the stop point is the most information-rich part of a scan and that the players had more opponents than teammates inside their video frame during scans. Practical applications and further research recommendations are presented.

• Rubia, Alfonso de la; Lorenzo, Alberto; Bjørndal, Christian T.; Kelly, Adam Leigh; García-Aliaga, Abraham & Lorenzo-Calvo, Jorge (2021). The Relative Age Effect on Competition Performance of Spanish International Handball Players: A Longitudinal Study. Frontiers in Psychology. 12. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.673434. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Background: Competitive success is the ultimate objective of elite professional sport organisations. Relative age effects (RAE) impact athlete selection processes in the short and long-term performance. The aims of this study were: (i) examine the presence of RAE by gender, competitive level, and playing position, as well as evaluate the impact of RAE on individual (goals, percentage of effectiveness in shots, saves; percentage of effectiveness in saves, assists, turnovers, steals, blocked shots, penalties, minutes played, and minutes played per match) and collective competition performance (final team position); and (ii) analyse the impact of RAE on the evolutionary trends of individual performance in international competitions throughout 16 seasons in Spanish handball (2005–2020). Methods: The sample included 631 Spanish handball players (male: n = 359; female: n = 272). A Chi-square goodness-of-fit test was used to assess whether a skewed birthdate distribution occurred. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of independent measures was used to examine the individual and collective statistical parameters by birth quartiles. A linear regression in a Hopkins sheet were performed to compare individual performance trends. Results: The results revealed RAE in the male formative categories (p < 0.001), as well as the male and female senior categories (p < 0.05). By position, RAE especially affected the “centre-back” in the male formative (p < 0.01) and senior categories (p < 0.05). No significant relationship between RAE and individual performance was found in male formative categories, while an impact of RAE on the “minutes played” was detected in the female senior category (p < 0.05). With regard to collective performance, a higher number of relatively older handball players was observed in the best ranked teams in the male formative categories and in the quarter-final teams in the female formative categories (p < 0.05). Among the male players, relatively older players spent more minutes on the court than relatively younger players, although this advantage dissipated over time and did not lead to better performance. Among the female players, relatively younger players were found to perform better as the level of competitive handball increased. Discussion: These findings are important for talent identification and development policies in sport federations and other elite sport institutions by demonstrating the many unintended consequences of selections to international competitions at the youth level.

• Aksum, Karl Marius; Pokolm, Marius; Bjørndal, Christian T.; Rein, Robert; Memmert, Daniel & Jordet, Geir (2021). Scanning activity in elite youth football players. Journal of Sports Sciences. ISSN 0264-0414. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2021.1935115. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of this study was to analyse the scanning behaviour of elite youth football players across different playing positions and age groups during high-level matches. Data was obtained by filming the 2018 UEFA European U17 and U19 Championship semi-finals and finals. A total of 53 outfield players from the four teams that reached the finals were analysed in both their respective semi-final and final matches, resulting in a total of 1686 attacking play situations. Ecological psychology provided us with the theoretical rationale for the study and informed our research hypotheses and interpretations. We found that U19 players performed more scans than U17 players. A positive relationship between scan frequency and pass success was also found. The results further suggest that opponent pressure and pitch position are both critical contextual factors that may influence scanning behaviour. In addition, central midfielders and central defenders were found to have higher scan frequencies than players in other positions. Our results support and extend previous research, suggesting that playing positions and age groups are important factors that impact visual perception and specifically scanning in football. Potential implications for coaches and recommendations for future studies are discussed.

• Bjørndal, Christian T.; Bache-Mathiesen, Lena Kristin; Gjesdal, Siv; Moseid, Christine Holm; Myklebust, Grethe & Luteberget, Live (2021). An Examination of Training Load, Match Activities, and Health Problems in Norwegian Youth Elite Handball Players Over One Competitive Season. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 3. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.635103. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Talent development is integral to the policy and organizational practice of competitive sport, but has also been associated with excessive amounts of training and competition, and athlete injuries and illnesses. The lack of available prospective data on the training and match activities of youth athletes and their health problems is therefore of concern. The aim of this study was two-fold: (a) to examine the amount and frequency of training load, match activities, injury and illness incidence, and prevalence among Norwegian youth elite handball players over the course of the 2018–2019 competitive season; and (b) to explore whether the injury rates are related to the sex or competition level of players, or their membership of the youth international team. We recruited 205 handball players (64% female, 36% male), aged 15–18 years (17.2 years ± 0.9) from five different sport school programs in southeast Norway. Data were collected daily from September 2018 to May 2019, during the competitive handball season. The variables included types of athlete activities, the number of activities, the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and the duration of training and matches. Injury and illness data were collected weekly using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTRC) questionnaire. The mean number of matches per week per player was 0.9 ± 1.29; the number of weekly training events was 6.1 ± 4.4; and the mean weekly session RPE was 986 ± 1 412 arbitrary units. The players reported a total of 472 injuries, and the mean number of injuries per player was 2.3 ± 2.9. The results demonstrated a 53% weekly injury prevalence, of which 38% were categorized as substantial injuries. Male players and players who participated at the highest level of senior competition and/or the youth international team reported significantly lower weekly incidences of health problems, compared to other players. Our findings showed that players enrolled in sport school programs are exposed to high training and competition loads, and that both general and substantial health problems are common. The potential implications for talent development and future research are discussed.

• Bjørndal, Christian T. & Gjesdal, Siv (2020). The role of sport school programmes in athlete development in Norwegian handball and football. European Journal for Sport and Society (EJSS). ISSN 1613-8171. 17(4), p. 374–23. doi: 10.1080/16138171.2020.1792131. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Norwegian sport school programmes are increasing in popularity and making significant contributions to athlete success. The aim of this study was to investigate how school coaches perceive the role of sport school programmes in Norwegian handball and football, and how coaches attempt to promote athlete development. The study was based on group and individual interviews with 25 coaches from 10 different sport programmes in upper secondary schools. The challenges and opportunities experienced by the school coaches related primarily to the interactions between athletes and the different organisational actors within the talent development system, and to the potential risks associated with these. No single stakeholder in the Norwegian system has sole responsibility for talent identification or development. Instead, athlete development in individual and team sports is located and organised within a multi-centric organisational model of club, school, regional and national association-driven activities. Policymakers and practitioners therefore need to strengthen the formal and informal lines of communication between sport school programmes and club teams. Coaches need to ensure that the academic syllabus does not constrain the opportunities available for athlete development at the individual level. Coaches should also maintain flexible approaches to athlete development and practice.

• Bjørndal, Christian T. & Ronglan, Lars Tore (2020). Athlete Development in Norwegian Handball. In Baker, Joseph; Cobley, Stephen & Schorer, Jörg (Ed.), Talent Identification and Development in Sport : International Perspectives. Routledge. ISSN 9780367501983. p. 101–114. Full text in Research Archive
• Aksum, Karl Marius; Magnaguagno, Lukas; Bjørndal, Christian T. & Jordet, Geir (2020). What Do Football Players Look at? An Eye-Tracking Analysis of the Visual Fixations of Players in 11 v 11 Elite Football Match Play. Frontiers in Psychology. 11(2020). doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.562995. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Current knowledge of gaze behavior in football has primarily originated from eye-tracking research in laboratory settings. Using eye-tracking with elite players in a real-world 11 v 11 football game, this exploratory case study examined the visual fixations of midfield players in the Norwegian premier league. A total of 2,832 fixations by five players, aged 17–23 years (M = 19.84), were analyzed. Our results show that elite football midfielders increased their fixation duration when more information sources became available to them. Additionally, participants used shorter fixation durations than previously reported in laboratory studies. Furthermore, significant differences in gaze behavior between the attack and defense phases were found for both areas of interest and fixation location. Lastly, fixation locations were mainly on the ball, opponent, and teammate category and the player in possession of the ball. Combined, the results of this study enhance the knowledge of how elite footballers use their vision when playing under actual match-play conditions. They also suggest that laboratory designs may not be able to capture the dynamic environment that footballers experience in competition.

• Rubia, Alfonso De La; Bjørndal, Christian T.; Sánchez-Molina, Joaquín; Yagüe, José María; Calvo, Jorge Lorenzo & Maroto-Izquierdo, Sergio (2020). The relationship between the relative age effect and performance among athletes in World Handball Championships. PLOS ONE. 15(3). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230133. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study examines the relative age effect (RAE) and its impact on the performance of elite male (n = 3,358) and female (n = 3,273) handball players in the U-19 (n = 2,188), U-21 (n = 2,031), and senior (n = 2,412) categories of the 2013/2014, 2015/2016 and 2017/2018 World Handball Championships organised by the International Handball Federation (IHF). The distribution of the players´ birth dates (by quartile: Q, and semester: S) by categories, handball playing positions, and membership of continental federations, were analysed for each of the three two-year periods in which the World Handball Championships took place. Differences between the observed and expected birth dates were tested using a chi-square goodness of fit test, and subsequent calculations were tested using odds ratios. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient was applied to test the correlation between the relative age of the athletes and (their) performance parameters. The results revealed a prevalence of the RAE on both male and female in the U-19 and U-21 categories (p<0.001), and a stabilisation of the RAE throughout the period analysed (2013/14-2017/2018). The RAE was not found in the female senior category (2013, 2015 and 2017) or male senior category (2013) (p>0.05). All playing positions were impacted by the RAE (p<0.001), and especially strong effect sizes were noted for male pivots (Vc = 0.66/0.68/0.60) and female center backs (Vc = 0.71/0.65/0.71). In our analysis of the handball continental federations, the RAE was found in all regions, except Oceania (p>0.05). The RAE also affected athlete performance: the oldest athletes played more minutes and achieved better performances. The RAE was associated with the final placement of the teams in each championship category, except in the male youth category. The findings clearly demonstrated that the RAE has a significant impact on the selection of male and female athletes to international competitions and the performance of both men and women in international handball. The potential implications of these findings for policy and practice are discussed.

• Bjørndal, Christian T. & Ronglan, Lars Tore (2019). Engaging with uncertainty in athlete development – orchestrating talent development through incremental leadership. Sport, Education and Society. ISSN 1357-3322. p. 1–13. doi: 10.1080/13573322.2019.1695198. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The development of young athletes is a complex process characterised by dynamic changes and uncertainty [Abbott, A., Button, C., Pepping, G.-J., & Collins, D. (2005). Unnatural selection: Talent identification and development in sport. Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences, 9(1), 61–88]. Talent development systems are characterised by a high level of uncertainty and unpredictability related to future outcomes [Phillips, E., Davids, K., Renshaw, I., & Portus, M. (2010). Expert performance in sport and the dynamics of talent development. Sports Medicine, 40(4), 271–283]. This complexity means that attempts to identify sporting talent and to predict who will eventually succeed have a low level of success [Johnston, K., Wattie, N., Schorer, J., & Baker, J. (2018). Talent identification in sport: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(1), 97–109]. Research has challenged the trend of advocating formalised and normative systems of talent identification and development [Bailey, R., & Collins, D. (2013). The standard model of talent development and its discontents. Kinesiology Review, 2(4), 248– 259], and empirical research has identified different approaches to talent development [Bjørndal, C. T., Andersen, S. S., & Ronglan, L. T. (2017). Successful and unsuccessful transitions to the elite level: The youth national team pathways in Norwegian handball. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 13(4), 533–544]. However, surprisingly few researchers have focused their attention on the identification of effective, operational and concrete strategies for steering athlete developmental processes. This research gap is troubling because of the problematic nature of popular development strategies in modern elite sport systems. The complex and dynamic roles of coaches in steering athlete development have been explored by Bjørndal & Ronglan, using [Jones, R. L., & Wallace, M. (2005). Another bad day at the training ground: Coping with ambiguity in the coaching context. Sport, Education and Society, 10(1), 119–134] conceptualisation of coaching as a form of orchestration. However, the usefulness of this conceptualisation has been criticised because although it reflects the complexity of talent development, it is difficult to use as a foundation for a practical, everyday conceptualisation of the challenges and opportunities associated with talent development. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to deepen and to refine the conceptualisation of coaching within complex athlete development settings. The paper explores [Lindblom, C. E. (1959). The science of “muddling through”. Public Administration Review, 19(2), 79–88] seminal idea of incrementalism to operationalise and refine the notion of ‘leadership by orchestration’ in the context of talent development. Developing a coaching strategy based on incremental leadership should therefore be seen as an attempt to better coordinate, plan and act on the uncertainties associated with talent development.

• Bjørndal, Christian T. & Ronglan, Lars Tore (2019). Mastering Uncertainty: The Everyday Concerns of Expert Team Sport Coaches. In Corsby, Charles L.T. & Edwards, Christian Nicholas (Ed.), Exploring research in sports coaching and pedagogy : context and contingency. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISSN 9781527528284. p. 55–64. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian T.; Luteberget, Live & Holm, Simen (2018). The Relationship between Early and Senior Level Participation in International Women's and Men's Handball. The Journal of Human Kinetics. ISSN 1640-5544. 63(1), p. 73–84. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2018-0008. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  International competitions at the youth elite level have become an important part of attempts to identify, foster and develop sporting talent. However, sports science scholars disagree strongly about the value and importance of such competitions because little is known about the relationship between early performance, at both the team and individual level, and later success in adult elite sports. The first aim of this study was therefore to explore the relationship between international match experience at the youth international team level and subsequent match experience at the junior and the senior international team levels. The second aim of this study was to explore the relationship between youth national team results and subsequent junior and senior national team results in international competitions. The individual-level analysis was based on official match participation statistics of all Norwegian handball players with either youth, junior and/or senior national team experience (n = 657) between the years 1993 and 2017. The team level analysis was based on team result rankings from the handball European and World Championships at the youth, junior and senior national team levels during this period. Statistical analysis at the individual level showed a significant difference between those handball players who did and did not have international match exposure at the youth and junior levels, and the number of matches they played at the senior international team level. No to weak correlations were found between the number of matches played at the youth, junior and senior international team levels. Statistical analysis at the team level showed a strong correlation between result rankings at the youth, junior and senior international team levels. Collectively, these findings suggest that having youth and junior international experience is strongly associated with the number of matches played at the senior international level. However, the number of matches played at the youth and junior international levels does not appear to determine success or predict which players will or will not achieve success at the senior international level.

• Bjørndal, Christian T.; Luteberget, Live; Till, Kevin & Holm, Simen (2018). The relative age effect in selection to international team matches in Norwegian handball. PLOS ONE. 13(12). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209288. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Many elite sport organisations have introduced structured talent identification and development (TID) initiatives in youth sports to better facilitate elite sport performance. However, selection mechanisms for TID programmes (e.g., junior international team) are biased towards relatively older athletes and limited studies exist with Scandinavian contexts. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the relative age effect (RAE) in youth, junior and senior male and female international team selections among Norwegian handball players (n = 657). A Chi-square goodness-of-fit test assessed whether a skewed birthdate distribution occurred at the youth, junior and senior international team levels and odds-ratios were calculated for RAE distribution. Moreover, a Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess differences between the number of international youth, junior and senior level appearances by birth quartiles. Significant uneven birth date distributions were shown for youth (χ2(7) = female 40.383 and male 105.716, p <0.001) and junior (χ2(7) = female 27.427 and male 30.948, p <0.001) international players, favouring the relatively older player (odds-ratio of 1.9–8.3). At the senior level, no uneven distribution was identified. The comparison of the number of matches in each age category and the quartile of birth showed a difference in the women’s youth category, where players in quartile 8 had a significantly lower number of appearances compared to quartile 1. The results form part of a growing body of knowledge about selection mechanisms in sport, which favours relatively older athletes within Norwegian Handball. Such findings are important for policy and practice for informing TID programmes for inclusive selection opportunities for all players.

• Bjørndal, Christian T.; Andersen, Svein S & Ronglan, Lars Tore (2018). Successful and unsuccessful transitions to the elite level: The youth national team pathways in Norwegian handball. International journal of sports science & coaching. ISSN 1747-9541. 13(4), p. 533–544. doi: 10.1177/1747954117740014. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of this study was to explore successful and unsuccessful transitions in Norwegian handball from the youth player level to the adult elite level. The nine youth players in our strategic sample were interviewed in-depth about their experiences. Five of the nine athletes had established themselves successfully at the adult elite level; four had either quit or continued to play at a lower level during the previous season. The data were first inductively analysed before the theoretical analysis was conducted. This enabled us to develop a comprehensive understanding of each athlete’s developmental path and transitions and enabled a comparison between the different outcomes. The lifespan model was used a basis for understanding the individual pathways of development and the transitions made. The ecology of games framework was used to contextualise the individual processes within the particular organisational context of Norwegian handball. The results show how the application of the talent development model used in Norwegian handball is frequently experienced as one which is exhausting for athletes. For a significant number, it may lead to injuries or burnout. Further, our findings demonstrate that there is a thin line separating two different outcomes: (a) a dropout due to a loss of motivation and meaning and (b) a successful transition to the elite level. We discuss how the organisational context of Norwegian handball leads to unintended consequences, both positive and negative, for athletes. Incidents and decisions beyond an athlete’s immediate environment can facilitate or inhibit successful transitions to the elite level.

• Bjørndal, Christian T. & Ronglan, Lars Tore (2017). Orchestrating talent development: youth players’ developmental experiences in Scandinavian team sports. Sports Coaching Review. ISSN 2164-0629. doi: 10.1080/21640629.2017.1317172. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of this study was to investigate athletes’ contemporary experiences of their pursuits toward the adult elite level within a Scandinavian team sport setting. The athletes in this study were involved in multiple teams that were led by different coaches. 12 youth handball players, aged 16–17 years, with national team experience were interviewed in-depth. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and an inductive analysis was undertaken. The findings revealed five main themes central to the players’ pursuits: (a) time pressure and prioritising; (b) complimentary influences; (c) conflicting goals and demands; (d) balancing load and recovery; and (e) coordination challenges. The conceptual notion of coach orchestration is shown to be potentially relevant to understanding the role of coaches involved in talent development. In this paper, the concept of coach orchestration is expanded to encompass what coaches must consider to facilitate individual development within and across different team settings.

• Andersen, Svein S; Bjørndal, Christian T. & Ronglan, Lars Tore (2015). The ecology of talent development in the Nordic elite sport model. In Andersen, Svein S; Houlihan, Barrie & Ronglan, Lars Tore (Ed.), Managing elite sport systems : research and practice. Routledge. ISSN 9781138803275. p. 49–66. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian T.; Ronglan, Lars Tore & Andersen, Svein S (2015). Talent development as an ecology of games: a case study of Norwegian handball. Sport, Education and Society. ISSN 1357-3322. doi: 10.1080/13573322.2015.1087398. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Structured talent identification and development, it has been argued, is one of the foundations of international sporting success and many modern elite sport systems have applied normative talent development (TD) models. The success of Norwegian handball, however, is based on an alternative approach to TD. Norwegian handball is characterized by a heterarchical organizational structure in which several key actors function highly autonomously. The aim of this article is three-fold: (a) to describe the organization of TD in Norwegian handball, (b) to identify how the inherent organizational characteristics of Norwegian handball have influenced the TD processes used and (c) to discuss if contemporary TD models provide an adequate conceptualization of the model used in Norwegian handball. This case study includes three units of analysis: (i) the overall organizational structure of Norwegian handball, (ii) the characteristics of the key actors involved and (iii) the intercommunication and collaborations of the key actors. The data sources were (a) documents and (b) interviews with 11 key informants. The informants were selected strategically to represent experienced coaches and professionals from multiple organizational units. The National Handball Federation uses a broad-based model for TD: 23% of male handball players and 15% of female handball players from the age of 13–17 years participate in regional-level initiatives in addition to practising daily in community-based volunteer sport clubs and sport schools. Findings reveal that the broad base of TD initiatives creates multiple access points to the talent pipeline for adolescents. However, because the heterarchical structure involves many actors, the unintended consequences are often related to (im)properly managing training and competition loads. There is a need therefore for welldeveloped coordination mechanisms and good communication between the key actors involved.

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• Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Phipps, Daniel; Gustafsson, Henrik & Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli (2026). Predicting sport-related injuries in adolescent sport school students: A longitudinal machine learning study. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sport school students face cumulative physical and psychological demands that may increase injury risk. While previous research has identified associations between training load, prior injury, and burnout, most studies rely on cross-sectional or regression-based approaches that may not capture complex, non-linear and temporal interactions. This study examined whether machine learning could predict weekly incident acute and overuse injuries among adolescent sport school students by integrating psychological, workload, and injury history variables. METHODS: A longitudinal design was applied to 211 Norwegian lower secondary sport school students (Grades 8–10), contributing 2,135 healthyweek observations. Weekly surveys assessed sport-related injuries, training exposure, sport burnout, and sport engagement. Incident injuries (acute and overuse) were predicted one week ahead using a Random Forest model with balanced sampling and person-level cross-validation. Twenty-seven features capturing acute workload, chronic workload patterns, psychological states and traits, injury history, and interaction terms were included. Model performance was evaluated using cross-validated accuracy, class-specific accuracy, and one-vs-rest AUC. RESULTS: The optimized Random Forest achieved 68.3% mean cross-validated accuracy. Discriminative ability was moderate (AUC = 0.57 for acute injuries; 0.66 for overuse injuries). Injury history variables (personal injury rate and weeks since injury) were the strongest predictors. Chronic workload characteristics and workload variability contributed more to prediction than acute weekly load alone. Interaction effects were important: acute load × recent injury and engagement × recent injury ranked among the top predictors. Chronic psychological patterns, particularly long-term engagement and burnout-related inadequacy, were more predictive than weekly fluctuations. The full model significantly outperformed simplified and regression-based comparison models. CONCLUSION: Injury risk among adolescent sport school students reflects cumulative and interacting risk processes rather than isolated weekly factors. Machine learning approaches capture these non-linear and conditional patterns more effectively than traditional regression models. Early and continuous monitoring of injury history, workload stability, and psychological functioning may support more targeted and timely prevention strategies in sport school contexts.

• Andersen, Iben N.; Aune, Lisbeth; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Brakstad, Ragnhild Ekren; Bræin, Kirsti & Dahl, Ellen Karoline Krane [Show all 15 contributors for this article] (2026). Bedre for deg, bedre for kunnskaps­samfunnet. doi: https:/www.khrono.no/bedre-for-deg-bedre-for-kunnskapssamfunnet/1044804. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Forskerforbundets lønnspolitikk og tariffavtale verdsetter kompetanse, både for den enkelte og for samfunnet, skriver 15 tillitsvalgte i Forskerforbundet i et svar til NTL.

• Øydna, Marie Loka; Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli; Nielsen, Jens Christian & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Idrettselever sjonglerer mer enn de balanserer. Full text in Research Archive
• Øydna, Marie Loka; Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli; Nielsen, Jens Christian & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). The moral request for recovery: Rethinking coaching practices in lower secondary sports schools. Full text in Research Archive
• Øydna, Marie Loka; Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli; Nielsen, Jens Christian & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Muligheter og utfordringer på idrettsungdomsskoler. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Idrettsungdomsskolene tiltrekker seg rekordmange elever, og trivselen blant elevene er høy. Likevel har kritiske diskusjoner reist spørsmål om helsebelastninger og tidlig profesjonalisering. Dette foredraget gir innsikt i ferske resultater fra en longitudinell studie om idrettselevers mentale helse, hverdag og identitetsutvikling. Gjennom en nyansert fremstilling utfordrer vi etablerte oppfatninger og åpner opp for en konstruktiv dialog om idrettsungdomsskolenes posisjon i ungdomsidretten.

• Sareen, Siddharth; Danbolt, Bjørn Kristian; Aamaas, Borgar; Olsen, Cecilie Sachs; Bratland-Sanda, Solfrid & Holmen, Heidi [Show all 14 contributors for this article] (2025). AYFs Jubileumsbok - De første ti årene. doi: https:/akademietforyngreforskere.no/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Jubileumsbok-digital-3.pdf. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; Moen, Christian; Hausken, Solveig Elisabeth Sand; Hägglund, Martin; McKay, Carly & Myklebust, Grethe [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2025). Effectiveness of the youth handball injury prevention program #Utviklingsklar – a cluster randomized trial. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; Hausken, Solveig Elisabeth Sand; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Myklebust, Grethe & Møller, Merete [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2025). Injury prevention in youth football and handball: development of a complex intervention. Full text in Research Archive
• Saarinen, Milla Saara Anneli & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2024). A three-wave longitudinal examination of the motivational climate during the first year of lower secondary sport schools; relationship to goal orientation and perceived performance. Full text in Research Archive
• Øydna, Marie Loka; Nielsen, Jens Christian & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2024). Athlete development in a Norwegian lower secondary sports school. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian Thue & Eide, Lars Harald (2024). NIH-forskere: Profesjonsmelding på ville veier. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Debatt NIH-forskere: Profesjonsmelding på ville veier Premissene i regjeringens profesjonsmelding er utdaterte, skriver Christian Thue Bjørndal og Lars Harald Eide ved Idrettshøgskolen. Christian Thue Bjørndal, førsteamanuensis, institutt for idrett og samfunnsvitenskap og Lars Harald Eide, universitetslektor, institutt for lærerutdanning og friluftsliv, Norges idrettshøgskole22. april 2024 kl. 12:46 Kunnskapsdepartementet, representert ved kunnskapsminister Kari Nessa Nordtun (Ap) […]

• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Targeting injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: perspectives from 528 players and 337 coaches – a cross sectional study. British Journal of Sports Medicine. ISSN 0306-3674. 58(Suppl 2), A18-A18. 10.1136/bjsports-2024-IOC.31. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Munkvold, Emilie; Hagglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald & Møller, Merete [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). 880 FO34 – Why does it work? Proposed mechanisms of effect in injury prevention programs in football and handball: a scoping review of 84 studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine. ISSN 0306-3674. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-IOC.33. Full text in Research Archive
• Myklebust, Grethe; Hägglund, Martin; Munkvold, Emilie; Bahr, Roald; Møller, Merete & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Why does it work? Proposed mechanisms of effect in injury prevention programs in football and handball: a scoping review of 84 studies. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Munkvold, Emilie; Hägglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald & Møller, Merete [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). Why does it work? Proposed mechanisms of effect in injury prevention programs in football and handball: a scoping review of 84 studies. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Munkvold, Emilie; Hagglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald & Møller, Merete [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). Why does it work? Proposed mechanisms of effect in injury prevention programs in football and handball: a scoping review of 84 studies. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Munkvold, Emilie; Hägglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald & Møller, Merete [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). Why does it work? Proposed biomedical effect mechanisms of injury prevention programs in football and handball: a scoping review of 84 studies. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian Thue & Rudd, James Robert (2024). Systems and settings for youth sport and physical education. In Marttinen, Risto & Girginov, Vassil (Ed.), Routledge Resources Online - Sport Studies. Routledge. ISSN 9780367766924. doi: 10.4324/9780367766924-RESS166-1. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; Myklebust, Grethe; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Grindem, Hege & Møller, Merete (2024). Effectiveness of the injury preventive program #Utviklingsklar. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Hausken-Sutter, Solveig Elisabeth Sand; Myklebust, Grethe; Møller, Merete & Grindem, Hege (2024). Unveiling the significance of sociocultural dynamics in youth sport injury research: a comprehensive narrative review. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Targeting injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: perspectives from 528 players and 337 coaches - a cross sectional study. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2024). Injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: perspectives from 528 players and 337 coaches - a cross sectional study. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Henrik; Gray, Rob; Schack, Thomas & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2023). Editorial: Learning and skill acquisition in sports: theoretical perspectives. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 5. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1360500. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The sports literature offers a diverse selection of theoretical views that attempt to explain how athletes improve with practice. This topic has significant implications for coaches, practitioners, and athletes themselves. Faced with the complexity of this subject, a common tendency is to simplify the issue by categorizing within a dichotomy (1), as evidenced by the common distinction between frameworks based on mental models or representations (e.g., information processing), on the one hand, and ecological approaches (e.g., ecological dynamics), on the other. While the former theoretical frameworks emphasize cognitive factors as keys to performance and improvement, the latter emphasize the relationship between the individual and the environment. The debate between these opposing perspectives has dominated discussions in sport psychology and movement science for over four decades. As suggested by Ranganathan and Driska in the present Research Topic and reinforced by the review conducted by Ashford et al. (2), both the information-processing and ecological-dynamics perspectives tend to generate data, terminology, and interpretations aligned with their respective frameworks. Despite these binary perspectives and ongoing debates, the validity of the proposed dichotomy is not entirely clear, and how these views differ from or complement each other remains unsettled (2, 3). Moreover, several other theoretical perspectives on learning and skill acquisition in sports may not neatly align with the dichotomy between cognitive models and ecological frameworks. These issues inspired the current Research Topic, in which scholars were invited to shed light on various approaches to skill acquisition and learning in sports. In the following, we attempt to summarize and offer some conclusions based on the various contributions.

• Møller, Merete; Grindem, Hege; Bjørndal, Christian Thue & Myklebust, Grethe (2023). Injury prevention and injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Munkvold, Emilie; Hägglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald & Møller, Merete [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2023). Hvorfor virker de? Effektmekanismer i skadeforebyggende programmer i fotball og håndball. Full text in Research Archive
• Hausken-Sutter, Solveig Elisabeth Sand; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Møller, Merete; Myklebust, Grethe & Grindem, Hege (2023). Interdisciplinary injury prevention in youth sport and the influence of sociocultural aspects. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Munkvold, Emilie; Hägglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald & Møller, Merete [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2023). Hvorfor virker de? Effektmekanismer i skadeforebyggende programmer i fotball og håndball. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Myklebust, Grethe; Møller, Merete & Grindem, Hege (2023). Gjennomførbarhetsstudie - metode og resultat. Full text in Research Archive
• Hausken-Sutter, Solveig Elisabeth Sand; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Myklebust, Grethe; Møller, Merete & Grindem, Hege (2023). Gjennomførbarhetsstudie - metode og resultat. Full text in Research Archive
• Erikstad, Martin Kjeøen & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2023). Barneidrett: Tidlig spesialisering øker risikoen for utbrenthet og frafall. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; Møller, Merete; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2023). Injury prevention and injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; McKay, Carly; Gjesdal, Siv; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2023). Similar injury prevention behavior in youth handball and football: a cross-sectional study of 865 coaches and players. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Henrik & Bjørndal, Christian T. (2022). Corrigendum: Youth International Experience Is a Limited Predictor of Senior Success in Football: The Relationship Between U17, U19, and U21 Experience and Senior Elite Participation Across Nations and Playing Positions (Front. Sports Act. Living, (2022), 4, (875530), 10.3389/fspor.2022.875530). Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 4. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.954943. Full text in Research Archive
• Herrebrøden, Henrik & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2022). Youth international experience is a limited predictor of senior success in football: The relationship between U17, U19, and U21 experience and senior elite participation. Full text in Research Archive
• Hausken, Solveig Elisabeth Sand; Bjørndal, Christian Thue; Myklebust, Grethe; Møller, Merete & Grindem, Hege (2022). Sosiale og kulturelle forhold kan påvirke idrettsskader. Full text in Research Archive
• Moen, Christian; Myklebust, Grethe; Hagglund, Martin; Bahr, Roald; Møller, Merete & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Biomedisinsk perspektiv på skadeforebygging. Full text in Research Archive
• Sjølie, Emilie Scholten; Gjesdal, Siv; McKay, Carly; Grindem, Hege; Myklebust, Grethe & Bjørndal, Christian Thue [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Holdninger og atferd: skader og skadeforebygging. Full text in Research Archive
• Berntsen, Hedda & Bjørndal, Christian T. (2020). Veien til toppidrett og Helvete er brolagt med gode intensjoner. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian T.; Ronglan, Lars Tore & Andersen, Svein S (2016). The diversity of developmental paths among youth athletes: A 3-year longitudinal study of Norwegian handball players. Talent Development and Excellence. ISSN 1869-0459. 8(2), p. 20–32. Full text in Research Archive
• Gagnås, Henrik Larsen; Sogn, Hanne Elisabeth; Gjesdal, Siv & Bjørndal, Christian Thue (2025). Treneren i sentrum! En tverrfaglig kunnskapsoppsummering. Norges idrettshøgskole. doi: https:/www.nih.no/forskning/sentre/fobu/rapporter/treneren-i-sentrum---en-tverrfaglig-kunnskapsoppsummering.pdf. Full text in Research Archive
• Bjørndal, Christian T. (2017). "Muddling through": the dynamics of talent development in Norwegian women's handball. Norges idrettshøgskole. ISSN 9788250205406. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Paper II: Bjørndal, C.T., & Ronglan, L.T. (2017). Orchestrating talent development: Youth players’ developmental experiences in Scandinavian team sports. Sports Coaching Review, published online, 1-22.

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