Football Fitness, a new concept in football clubs: possibilities and challenges

TY - ABST

T1 - Football Fitness, a new concept in football clubs

T2 - EASS 2013

AU - Ottesen, Laila

AU - Bennike, Søren

N1 - Conference code: 10th

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - The Danish welfare state place new demands on sports organizations and associations, which has lead to an increased focus on the third sector's role in health promotion purposes. A new research project at the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports will examine how these new claims are received and adapted in the Danish sports organizations and associations. The Danish Football Association has launched a new concept called "Football Fitness" with a focus on the health dimension of football, both of physiological, psychological and social nature, rather than a focus on the competition aspect or the actual game. Currently the concept is in the implementation phase in more than 50 clubs, and is predominantly targeting inactive user groups, new to the club. A wide range of stakeholders engaged in health policy emphasize the need for knowledge about how to anchor health related interventions intended to promote physical activity (Laitakari et al., 1996; Guldbrandsson, 2008). And ask how such interventions should be organized and implemented to be applicable in practice (Green, Ottosson, Garcia & Hiatt, 2009). The research project, in part based on a PhD project, is a unique opportunity to access the knowledge of how the concept “football fitness” is organized, implemented and adapted in the participating clubs. This knowledge will be of great importance in relation to welfare policy, where the project can contribute with knowledge of possible changes to the Danish voluntary sports model. The research project will thus follow this implementation process and analyze changes, challenges and resistance experienced in the clubs, and consequently gain knowledge of what may promote a successful implementation. The project will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods for the gathering and analysis of data. Key words: Football Fitness, Health promotion, Implementation, Sports clubs, Sports Organizations.

AB - The Danish welfare state place new demands on sports organizations and associations, which has lead to an increased focus on the third sector's role in health promotion purposes. A new research project at the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports will examine how these new claims are received and adapted in the Danish sports organizations and associations. The Danish Football Association has launched a new concept called "Football Fitness" with a focus on the health dimension of football, both of physiological, psychological and social nature, rather than a focus on the competition aspect or the actual game. Currently the concept is in the implementation phase in more than 50 clubs, and is predominantly targeting inactive user groups, new to the club. A wide range of stakeholders engaged in health policy emphasize the need for knowledge about how to anchor health related interventions intended to promote physical activity (Laitakari et al., 1996; Guldbrandsson, 2008). And ask how such interventions should be organized and implemented to be applicable in practice (Green, Ottosson, Garcia & Hiatt, 2009). The research project, in part based on a PhD project, is a unique opportunity to access the knowledge of how the concept “football fitness” is organized, implemented and adapted in the participating clubs. This knowledge will be of great importance in relation to welfare policy, where the project can contribute with knowledge of possible changes to the Danish voluntary sports model. The research project will thus follow this implementation process and analyze changes, challenges and resistance experienced in the clubs, and consequently gain knowledge of what may promote a successful implementation. The project will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods for the gathering and analysis of data. Key words: Football Fitness, Health promotion, Implementation, Sports clubs, Sports Organizations.

M3 - Conference abstract in proceedings

SN - 978-84-616-3995-3

SP - 50

BT - Sociology and Sport in Face of New Challenges

A2 - Días, Álvaro Rodríguez

A2 - Sánchez, David Moscoso

A2 - Gavira, Jesús Fernández

PB - AESDE / Asociacion Española de Sociologia del Deporte

CY - Sevilla

Y2 - 8 May 2013 through 11 May 2013

ER -