Boosting youth sport? Implementation of Norwegian youth sport policy through the 2016 Lillehammer Winter Youth Olympic Games

Abstract

Neo-institutional concepts of organizational change and organizational reproduction combined with implementation theory are employed to examine the implementation of the Norwegian youth sport policy (YSP) associated with the Youth Olympic Games. The YSP also called ‘youth campaign’, aims at increasing the number of young leaders, young coaches and young athletes. Data were generated from semi-structured interviews and observations and show that implementation is characterized by revitalization of existing practices within the Norwegian sports system through translation and bricolage and innovative entrepreneurship. Our data indicate that the focus of the implementation was on the recruitment and education of young leaders. The development of young coaches and the recruitment and retention of young athletes are neglected. The non-involvement of national sport federations and sports clubs as well as the complexity of administrative layers are causes for the lack of effective implementation. In sum, a lasting impact on the Norwegian youth sport development is doubtful.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Berit Skirstad, Barrie Houlihan and Milena Parent for their efforts and helpful comments, which have contributed to strengthening the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The competence centre of Innlandet is a joint venture between NIF and the counties of Hedmark and Oppland created to strengthen and develop expertise in sports within the Lillehammer region.

2. Place and date for each meeting is available by contacting the corresponding author.

3. The first national umbrella organization for sport in Norway, and a predecessor of NIF, was established in 1861 (Olstad 1987).

4. 11 million NOK = 1.3 million euro – less than 5% of the total grant from the DSP to NIF.

5. A town in Hedmark district, approximately 100 km from Lillehammer.

6. Norway’s third-largest city and geographically located close to the centre of Norway.

7. The capital city of Norway, where DSP, NIF and most NFs are seated.

8. A town in Hedmark district, about 70 km from Lillehammer. Hamar was the location of some events during the Lillehammer 1994 games, and will house some athletes and events during YOG 2016.

9. The sports gala is an annual event where Norwegian sport celebrates itself, its elite stars as well as grass root representatives.