– We often have to go to the neighboring towns to train on good cycle tracks in the forest, says Noah Hovde Solberg. He and his classmates, Kasper and Oscar, are out cycling in front of Holvika secondary school in Grimstad, where they are pupils. – We like the adrenaline kick we get from cycling in challenging places, says Solberg. Many of their friends at school are in sports teams and associations and often use modern sports facilities. The three on a bicycle lack something similar. They have therefore made their own jump with a table in the school yard. – We miss a better offer here in the local area, says Solberg. Noah Hovde Solberg and the gang like to cycle in the forest. They operate outside sports teams and miss better conditions for the activity. Photo: Leif Dalen / news Many in the same situation Cykkelgutta in Grimstad are not the only ones who miss activities that are not organized sports. news has met a number of young people in the same situation. They do acrobatics, strength training, roller skiing and skating. What is common is that many people experience having poor conditions in order to carry out their activity. 15-year-old Aron Bærheim is engaged in self-growth training. He is not a member of any sports club, and does not want to be either. – I’m not very social, so I often use playgrounds and the like when I train, he says. Aron Bærheim demonstrates acrobatic exercises, so-called self-weight training in the school yard. Photo: Leif Dalen / news – More and more people are outside 29 percent of young people between the ages of 13 and 18 do unorganized sports every now and then, shows a recent report from the Welfare Research Institute NOVA. 11 percent do this 4–5 times a week. This concerns, for example, activities such as skating, parkour, climbing, mountain biking, street basketball and street football. – It is a clear trend that more and more young people want to organize their own sports. And although the offer for this group has improved, it is poor compared to what is found in traditional sports. So says professor at the Norwegian Sports Academy, Reidar Säfvenbom. He further says that it is the municipalities that are responsible for such activity facilities, and that this can therefore easily be de-prioritised. The three cycling boys organize the mountain bike training themselves. They often go to neighboring towns to find places to train. Photo: Leif Dalen / news – Nobody wants to use dilapidated facilities news recently told about ball pits and playgrounds that are growing back in many municipalities. Arenas intended for free play and training outside of organized sports lose out to more modern facilities. At Holvika School, the principal, Tor Helge Olsen, can confirm the same. There used to be a skate park here, which has now rotted away. The same applies to the football and basketball areas in the school yard. He shows the worn ball curve as an example. Headmaster at Holvika School, Tor Helge Olsen, thinks it is sad that arenas for free play fall into disrepair. Photo: Leif Dalen / news – When things wear out and are not maintained, children and young people will not use them. It is sad, because schools are often places where children and young people spend their free time, outside of the organized. Olympic top fears for the development Professional skater Fredrik Tangerud shows us his tricks in the skating ramp in the center of Kristiansand. He is one of four from the city who are now on the Norwegian national skating team and are ready for the next Olympics. Tangerud grew up during a period when a new skate park was established in the city. He says that these parks are meeting places for both professionals and beginners outside the organized. – We would never have become so good without this growing up. But unfortunately these facilities have fallen into disrepair. The young people who try now have poor opportunities, says Tangerud. – Missing a voice news has recently put the spotlight on free play and sports outside the established. The Liberal party is now taking the ball and, among other things, wants to open up the municipal sports facilities to all children and young people. – Many young people do not fit into organized sports. And this group has no strong voices or organizations behind it. We have to do something about that. That’s what party leader Guri Melby says. Leader of the Liberal Party, Guri Melby, wants to open municipal sports facilities for all children and young people. Photo: Ina Marie Sigurdsen / news She was recently in Kristiansand where the local team launched a possible new skate park, close to Bystranda. The hope is that the park can contribute to increasing the interest in physical activity for many people who are outside of organized activities. – We see that ball hoops and playgrounds are unused. Then we must rather invest in something they want to use, e.g. a skate facility like this, says Melby.
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– Missing offers for those who just want to play – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
