Concerned about the mental health of children and youth – VG

– To put it a little simple: in this situation, I fear only the mental health of those who play sports, Bergquist tells VG.

Contagion experts have made grim predictions about the chances of tall and wide soccer in Norway in 2020.

The Trøndelag football community has confirmed that they will not join the game activity until early August.

However, Berquist expects and encourages as many soccer clubs as possible to get organized training for their members, naturally within infection control rules.

The Ombudsman for Children: – In these times it is very important

– Many children and young people depend almost on this activity to work in other areas. There are obscure figures on how many children struggle with different things and have sport as their sanctuary. There they have an opportunity to end with frustration, aggression or other difficult feelings, Bergquist says.

He is followed by a circuit leader at the Hordaland football circuit, Tore-Christian Gjelsvik.

– I’m actually concerned that you are missing this bright spot in your everyday life. Soccer and sports can be a place where they feel safe, Gjelsvik tells VG.

The head of the children’s ombudsman, Camilla Kayed, believes that the two leaders of the circuit have very good points.

– We know that sport is not only a social meeting place, but a very pleasant way to respond and get out of stress. Only in these times is probably the most important thing, says Kayed, adding:

– Many children sit at home in poorly functioning homes. They need to get out, get other urges, and maybe a chance to talk to someone else about not feeling well.

Concerned about children not showing up

Many clubs have started organized training sessions within the framework provided by the health authorities and the NFF, but there is also a fear that the crown situation may lead to abandonment of the sport in children and adolescents.

Handball star Bjarte Myrhol tells VG that he is confident the sport “is losing some kids along the way.”

– We may lose some of the kids who had little or no motivation to play sports. If they train again, the level difference may have been large, says Myrhol.

The Hordaland Circuit Manager has the same concern.

“I think we need to carry out a mission now when it comes to the mental health of inactive youth,” says Gjelsvik.

TV 2 wrote Thursday about the Gneist club, which has closed all its workouts. Uncertainty about how infection protection should be protected is one cause.

– Of course, it is a challenge for many. It may take longer for some than others. Here we have to be flexible for each other, but I think it’s worth it, “says Lise Klaveness, elite director of the Norwegian Football Association (NFF), on the case.

Gjelsvik on the Hordland football circuit fears that the children and young people who need these activities and interruptions the most will not show up in the limited sessions.

“They may feel that there are so many limitations in training that they will not attend,” he says with a call to soccer clubs that they must be aware of their responsibility to these children.

“It is important that clubs come into contact with the weak, since the weak will not contact themselves,” psychologist Dag Sørum told VG.

He has worked for many years as a sports psychologist and collaborates with former soccer referee Tom Henning Øvrebø, the NISO player organization, and the Sports Health Center.

“They don’t want to bother and they think the clubs have more than enough to handle other things,” says Sørum.

Both Sørum and Kayed’s boss at the Children’s Ombudsman are confident that sports teams have a good overview of which of their members needs additional follow-up now.

– Sports teams have a good tradition of caring for their members, says Kayed.