It's okay to want to be the best – as long as the journey is positive and meaningful
Children who pursue sports deserve an environment that promotes performance, health, and personal development. We aim to create safe and nurturing performance environments where young athletes can grow – both as individuals and as athletes. We take seriously both the dream of pursuing excellence and the need to stay healthy, motivated, and happy along the way.
When the body doesn’t have enough energy to maintain normal functions, an athlete’s health and performance will be negatively affected.
From REDs to GREEN. How can we create a sustainable sports environment where children and young people want to be?
The brains of children and adolescents develop at record speed, which greatly affects how they think, learn, feel, and perform. When they also pursue sports at a high level, the demands on focus, motivation, and mental resilience become even greater.
The Surrounding Environment Is a Crucial Factor
It's not just about performance, results, and physical fitness. The training environment that children and young people are part of is just as important. Feeling included, having a place to belong—somewhere you're seen and valued—can make a big difference. When you're part of a supportive group, it provides not only motivation during success but also security during setbacks.
A good sports environment offers more than just a space to burn off energy. It gives you a sense of community, identity, and a safe base to return to—regardless of how things go on the field, in the gym, or on the mat. You gain a place within the group, and that place matters. It's not just about who is the best, but about being part of something bigger than yourself.
This sense of belonging becomes especially important when things aren’t going well—when injuries occur, results don’t come, or motivation drops. That’s why it’s essential for sports, together with coaches and parents, to build safe, supportive, and inclusive environments where the focus isn’t only on top performance.
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GAMes Conference London
GAMes Conference London 19.-21. november 2025🤩
Everyone affiliated with “Stay G R E E N”
(From left: Tom Henning Øvrebø, Dag André Nilsen, Stine Østvold Aamodt, and Stein Robin Walderstrøm Syse)
Drank sports drink and tested their breathing
“Got shocked by the result.” A new research project provides fresh insight into the energy intake of many of Norway’s top biathletes. But it didn’t happen without exhaustion, vomiting, and large amounts of food.
Source: NRK
New series: “They Were Meant to Become the World’s Best”
Podme is sharing the first episode of VG’s new documentary series “They Were Meant to Become the World’s Best.” They played for Norway — but what has happened since, and where are they now?
