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This study investigates Swedish women’s football players’ paths to theelite level and how they have experienced the environments and leaders theyencountered during their childhood and youth. Data was collected through aquestionnaire and a total of 142 players participated in the study, of which 101played in Allsvenskan (the first league) and 41 in Elitettan (the second league).The results showed that the players largely come from the southern parts of thecountry. The majority of players in Elitettan have grown up in medium-sized cities,while players in Allsvenskan to a high extent grew up in small towns or rural areas.The majority of the players were selected for the district team at the age of 15. Theresults also showed that the players in Elitettan specialized in football somewhatearlier and begun in an elite club earlier than the players in Allsvenskan. Overall,the results showed that when players specialized, started in an elite club, ordebuted at senior elite level varied, indicating that different paths are possible toreach elite level. The players experienced that both functional (e.g., appropriatechallenge) and dysfunctional (e.g., result focus) elements existed on their pathto elite level. In conclusion, the study provides an increased understanding ofelite women’s soccer players’ pathways to elite level and the educational prac-tices they encountered, which can provide guidance for the development of talentdevelopment practices within girls’ soccer.

Introduction: This study examines the reasons why female and male players, selected to a nationwide youth football talent programme (regional youth teams), dropped out of football between 15–23 years of age.

Methods: The study builds on the answers provided by 363 women and 170 men to an open-ended question on a questionnaire: “Can you describe in your own words why you stopped playing club football?”

Results and discussion: The analysis showed that for both women and men, structural reasons were the most common motives for dropping out, followed by interpersonal and intrapersonal reasons. Although the analysis did not show any significant differences in dropout constraints between genders, the significance of different reasons for dropping out within these constraint dimensions varies between women and men. For women, there is a gradual shift from injuries causing the end of a football career in the age group 15–19 years to a perceived lack of time and an increased focus on education and working career. Among men, with an increase in age, injuries, studies, and work become the main reasons for dropping out of football, although not as clearly as among women. Moreover, the findings emphasize that the reasons for dropping out interact with each other, and some prevent while others support continued play. Understanding the reasons why selected talented players dropped out of football can provide guidance for sustainable talent development, thereby reducing elements that influence dropout behavior among talented youth football players.

Talent identification and development in sport in the youth years take place in multiple settings, including the local club or regional and national initiatives. This study explores adult elite football players’ experiences of being selected to a national football talent programme at the age of 15 and the significance it had for their development as a footballer. The empirical material consists of retrospective interviews with 12 female and 13 male adult elite football players. The findings showed that the meanings attached to being selected and the significance it had for the players vary both within and between genders. One key finding is that the players home club environment at the time of selection affects how they experienced being selected and experienced the selection process. For both male and female players who played with senior players or in a youth elite team, being selected was perceived as having limited educational value to their development as footballers in the long run. However, players from grassroot clubs emphasised the educative value of being selected and its importance for continued commitment and development as a footballer. Overall, the study contributes with perspectives on extracurricular programmes to be developmental environments for youth football players.

The aim of this study was to contribute to the research field of children’s rights in sports by synthesizing the scientific approaches applied and topics addressed in previous social science research focused on children’s rights per se. A scoping literature review was conducted via database searches (Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus). The search strategy yielded 44 articles eligible for inclusion. The analysis showed that the articles covered 17 identified topics in total, most frequently abuse. Fewer than half had a direct focus on children’s rights in sports. The research was mostly descriptive, non-theoretical and encompassed few countries, sports and ages. The sample of empirical studies generally encompassed child participants or international policy and regulations. In conclusion, studies with more explanatory and theoretical designs and a clearer, direct focus on children’s rights would be beneficial for enhancing general and theoretical understanding of children’s rights and explaining associated problems.

One common practice in talent development environments during the investment years (age 16+) and elite sport, in general, is the use of physiological testing of the athletes’ physical determinants of performance. In this article, the regime of controlling and monitoring athletes’ bodies for elite sport production through physiological testing will be examined. To this end, we explored athletes’ experiences of what has been done and why physiological tests are carried out the way they are to understand the practice of physiological testing in relation to athlete development. The material in this study is based on interviews with adult elite sport athletes (four group interviews with eight individual athletes in three different sports, four male and four female, and individual interviews with twelve female and five male football players). Schatzki's and Reckwitz's theorizing on social practices, together with Dewey's theorizing on learning from experience, are used to explore and illuminate the practice of physiological testing and what learning is enabled and constrained within that practice. The findings show that the meaning and significance of physiological testing for athletic development relates to how the tests are followed up and talked through with the athletes. The analysis shows that there exists a form of sport-wide commonality where the same understandings, rules or ends—irrespective of which sport is concerned—govern coaches’ and athletes’ behavior regarding physiological tests. The physiological testing practice articulates action intelligibility through rules and structures which emphasizes tests as isolated quantified indicators of physical status. The use of physiological tests as a part of learning or as a means for athlete development can therefore be questioned.

Talent identification is a topic that has captured a lot of research interest. The knowledge on player competencies used in selection processes has predominately focused upon on coaches’ identification practice, and their views on the physical, physiological, technical, and mental qualities of talented of young soccer players. However, few studies have put attention on the role family background factors, such as parents’ sport habits, level of education and finances, type of residence, etc. have for being selected as a youth talent. Thus, in this paper the aim is to explore background patterns of females and males that at the age of 15 were selected to a district/regional team in one of the 24 football districts in Sweden. The study uses retrospective questionnaire data from 1026 football players (396 males and 630 females) who were selected for district teams at the age of 15. The findings show that, besides growing up in families with a strong sport capital, especially the father, a majority grew up in a house, rated the family's finances as good and about 50% had parents with university education. Very few of the females and males have a foreign background. The findings suggests that for being selected as a talented football player not only physical, physiological, technical, and mental qualities, but also a particular type of background seems to be favorable. In conclusion, the talented players characteristics raise questions about the diversity that the Swedish Football Association strives for within Swedish football at all levels.

Using questionnaire data collected from one gym in 1995, 2005, and 2015 this study examines 861 women’s and 1827 men’s training patterns and their motives for weight training. Between 1995 and 2015, the gym increased its membership, equipment, and machines. The analysis shows that the participants increased the time they trained in gyms and changed the muscle groups they prioritized. The motives to become stronger, healthier, and more fit remained stable over time, but both the men’s and women’s training de-emphasized building muscles and firmer shapes and emphasized fun, attractiveness, and endurance. The analysis suggests that how the socially constructed body should be shaped and the goal with the shaping has changed. In conclusion, the 20-year perspective captures changes that have not been reported previously and contributes to knowledge about the intersection of gyms and gender, shedding light on how gym culture has changed and the reasons for these changes.

Introduktion: Att nå elitnivå inom idrott, och fotboll som behandlas i denna presentation, är en dröm för många barn och ungdomar. Olika typer av ”talangutvecklingsmiljöer”, exempelvis nationella fotbollsgymnasier, men även elitförberedande klubbmiljöer (akademier) har växt fram för att drömmen om elitnivå ska uppfyllas. Dessa miljöer kan betraktas som systematiska strukturer där betydande ekonomiska och mänskliga resurser används för att identifiera och utveckla unga pojkar och flickor. Frågan vad fotbollsgymnasier, ett program för 16-åringar i syfte att nå internationell toppnivå inom idrotten (Lund, 2014), men även vad fotbollsakademier betyder behandlas i presentationen. En annan idrottspecialisering, och sannolikt en följd av drömmen om att nå elitnivå, är tidig specialisering inom en idrott. Tidig specialisering är ett omdebatterat ämne (Côté et al., 2007; Waldron, DeFreese, Register-Mihalik et al., 2020). Huruvida tidig specialisering i fotboll före 12 års ålder har någon betydelse för att nå elitnivå är också en fråga som behandlas i föredraget.

Syfte och metod: Utifrån enkätdata från nuvarande och före detta fotbollsspelare (N = 1026) och intervjudata (N=25) som valts ut till ett nationellt fotbollstalangprogram vid 15 års ålder fokuserar presentationen på konsekvenserna av kvinnor och mäns idrottsspecialiseringar för elitfotboll i tidig vuxen ålder (21 år).

Resultat och slutsatser: Resultaten visade att kvinnor i lägre utsträckning hade tillgång till elitfotbollsträning i klubb- och skolmiljöer. Spelare som tillhörde elitförberedande miljöer (akademier) under tonåren hade dubbelt så stor sannolikhet att spela elitfotboll vid 21 års ålder. Resultaten visade också att tidig specialisering före 12 år och fotbollsgymnasieträning inte ökade sannolikheten att spela elitfotboll vid 21 års ålder. Analysen av intervjudata visade att fotbollsgymnasiers betydelse för att utvecklas som fotbollsspelare hänger samman med spelarens bakgrund, nuvarande nivå och skolverksamheten. Sammanfattningsvis ger resultaten insikter om fotbollsspecialisering och talangutvecklingsmiljöer inom svensk fotboll.

Elite level achievement in football can, besides the training in the club, be advanced through elite sport schools at the upper secondary school. This systematic talent development environments are of central interest in this study. Previous research in the area have been extensive, and with a particular focus on football academies and environmental success factors (e.g., Cooper, 2021; Larsen et al, 2013). To date, research undertaken has not in any greater extent taken into consideration non-club environments such as the upper secondary school specialization in Sweden (2-3 trainings/week during school hours). A dual career program for 16-year-old ones in order to achieve international top-level in sport (Lund, 2014). Drawing on questionnaire and interview data from men and women that at the age of 15 were selected to a national talent program this study focuses on the consequences of upper secondary school specialization for elite football in adulthood. Findings from the questionnaire data showed that football specialization schools did not increase the likelihood for playing elite football at the age of 21. The analysis of players experiences of upper secondary football schools showed that the understandings of school specialization for developing as a football player can be found in the players background, present level as well as the school activities. In conclusion the findings provide insights about sport specialization within the context of football.

Drawing on data from the present and former football players (N = 1026) selected to a national football talent programme at the age of 15, this study explores a model of sport specialisation. We examined three specific aspects of sport specialisation including early football specialisation, participation in youth elite football training environments (i.e. academies) and enrolment in upper secondary football specialisation schools. Antecedents of these sport specialisation factors included gender (i.e. sociocultural), grit (i.e. personality) and perceptions of family finances (i.e. social). Outcomes focused on adult football participation at the age of 21 including elite skill acquisition (i.e. playing elite football) and personal development (i.e. participation in non-elite football). Findings revealed that females were less likely to gain access to elite football training or school specialisation environments. There was also a positive association between grit and participation in elite training environments. In terms of outcomes, players, who got trained in elite training environments during adolescence, were twice as likely to play elite football at the age of 21, while those who attended football specialisation schools were more likely to participate in non-elite football at the age of 21. Early specialisation was not associated with either adult participation outcome. This is one of the few studies to date addressing diverse antecedents and outcomes of sport specialisation factors. Understanding how sport specialisation practices relate to future skill acquisition and personal development can provide guidance for maximising the benefits of youth sport programming.