Non-traditional innovation in Denmark: The club where everyone only trains twice a week

In search of more knowledge about dropouts in children's sports, I have been in contact with the club KLG in Herning and Eirik from Pappatrenerne.

Companionship, Play and Joy

‍In Lind outside Herning we find the club KLG Håndbold, which with just under 300 members from mini to senior is the municipality's largest handball club. The three initials of the name have the club translated into three basic values: Companionship, Play and Joy. The values are consistent with everything that takes place in activities on and off the pitch in KLG Håndbold. Social relationships, playing with ball and the smile are in focus.

In 2020, KLG Håndbold presented a sporting and values-based “red thread” called KLG Kursen, which is based on professional recommendations and guidelines for children's and youth handball. KLG calls itself a “twice-a-week” club. The course is an attempt to translate the values of Companionship, Play and Joy in a concrete context that guides coaches and volunteers, regardless of vintage.

“In youth life anno 2021, there are many activities and things to relate to for the young and their parents. That's why we want to cater to the young with a handball offer that allows other and more activities throughout the week, both sporting and non-sporting. In this way we hope to keep on more young people, for the good of the club and Danish handball, in general,” says Malene Dalgaard-Hansen, Sports Consultant at KLG Håndbold.

Training frequency has become a central part of the club's value selection and philosophy. KLG Håndbold has chosen to be what they call a “twice-a-week” club. That means the club offers bi-weekly trainings all teams from the age of 11 and up. The training time is 2 X 60 minutes until the age of 13, when it is increased to 2 X 90 minutes.

“There are several reasons for this recommendation. First of all, the foundation of the club is emphasized as a broadside club where there should be room for everyone. No player is more important than the team, and no team is more important than the club,” says Dalgaard-Hansen.

That does not mean, however, that the club's scheme compromises individual player development.

“Research shows that children and adolescents continue with sports if they feel development and progression. Therefore, we work daily with level training upwards and downwards, where one or more players can try their hand at a different vintage in one of the two weekly trainings. At the same time, as a club, we will not stand in the way of an extraordinarily skilled player, who has the courage and desire to try himself at a higher level in another club,” says Dalgaard-Hansen.

- The right way to go

Eirik Øiestad runs the podcast Pappatrenerne, and is a handball coach in Bækkelagets SK. He has no doubt that we need more clubs who think alike with KLG.

“This is thoughtful and strategic development work, which also requires a good portion of courage. One should resist the ingrained notion that one has to gas up with training and competition as soon as we get into youth sports in order to “hang out”. The fact is that the dropout rate we have in sports in general and handball in particular through middle school, shows that we are simply doing this wrong — and that KLG's model should be tested by more people,” says Øiestad.

“I travel around myself now as a parent on a J14 team. We meet more and more clubs who have joined forces to be able to field teams. It also applies to clubs with a large recruiting base who shouldn't have the slightest problem building solid squads. I can see no other explanation for this dropout other than the fact that the clubs are not succeeding in their main task, which is to keep the youngsters. Why don't you change your strategy?” asks Øiestad.

He points to a large survey from Sweden showing that youth are more concerned with physical activity and exercise than ever. At the same time, they say the traditional organised sport is too much about competition, and does not respond to their needs.

Reduced dropout

“The transition to youth sports is too abrupt and adult-led, with sharp increases in training amount and competition. Already there we lose a lot of people who would certainly like to continue with handball. The joy disappears and then comes the apostasy. I would have liked to see more clubs taking a stand that keeping the level of activity at a moderate level that is adapted to the need in breadth. Then solutions can be found for those individual players who need more, for example through hospitalization or changing clubs.” says Øiestad.

He also believes KLG's model offers gains other than reduced dropout.

“I think KLG creates more win-win here. My hypothesis is that by limiting oneself to two trainings, one can increase the quality of the trainings and thus get a better result. Two good sessions are better than three half-good ones. It allows more time and increased profit for the volunteers to plan and set well prepared. It also reduces pressure on hall capacity which - for example - can be used to offer more “open hall”, which is a dramatic lack in many places in Handball Norway. I cheer for KLG, I believe they will succeed and am 100% sure that there is a need for their model,” concludes Øiestad.

I find this very exciting, and look forward to following KLG in the future. My desire with such an article to create conscious thoughts around the exercise culture we may completely blindly relate to...

— Bjarte Myrhol