Saturday, April 14, 2018

Norwegian athletes are raised differently

(excerpt from Time)
Tore Ovrebo is the director of elite sport for the Olympiatoppen, an organization of scientists, trainers and nutritionists who work with Olympic athletes across Norway's sports federations.

Ovrebo says that in Norway, organized youth sports teams cannot keep score until they are 13. "We want to leave the kids alone. We want them to play. We want them to develop, and be focused on social skills. They learn a lot from sports. They learn a lot from playing. They learn a lot from not being anxious. They learn a lot from not being counted. They learn a lot from not being judged. And they feel better. And they tend to stay on for longer."

Trainers don't tell athletes how much they weigh. "It’s very dangerous. They can develop eating disorders." Olympic athletes don't receive prize money or bonuses from their federations. "We think prize money turns people into something they shouldn't be."

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