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Study4Player: a successful education project in Denmark In 2007 the Danish Football Players Association, Spillerforeningen, started the project Study4player. At least once a year every team in the professional clubs in Denmark gets a visit from one of the Study4player officers offering individual educational guidance and pointing out how it is actually possible to study besides football. The life of a professional footballer doesn´t include the same range of freedom as other people normally have but it does include a lot of spare time. Therefore flexible studies makes it possible for a professional footballer to prepare for a second career and that is exactly what Study4player provides by working closely together with the educational institutions of Denmark on the basis of written agreements. Study4player helps each individual player identify and apply for education and put the player in contact with Study4players contact person at the educational institution. If necessary the contact person or Study4player helps the player form an individual study plan prolonging the education which often also result in a more up-to-date education when the player terminate his football career. Study4player also helps the players with problems like getting an alternative date of exam etc. By cooperating with the educational system in Denmark, Study4player is in most cases able to offer free and flexible education to the players. But Study4player also seek even more flexible possibilities such as the upcoming FIFPro Online Academy while e-learning is necessary for some players who have the most difficulties participating in the lectures. In addition Study4player run a local project at Aalborg University and the University College of Northern Denmark where athletes can get even more help from a dedicated officer within the educational institutions and can be provided with a buddy, mentor, dictaphone etc.. The University of Southern Denmark started the first project of this kind. Now the two officers at the University of Southern Denmark work part time at Study4player. More universities and university colleges have shown interest in having Study4player help them start similar projects. The local projects offers help to all types of athletes. The help of Study4player is also offered to all athletes who are a member of one of the athletes/players unions in Denmark as Spillerforeningen cooperate with its sister organizations. In addition in 2009 Spillerforeningen lanced Job4player to help athletes get in contact with future employers. Job4player cooperate with companies who are interested in recruiting former athletes and gaining from athletes’ unique qualifications such as wining spirit and the ability to work hard to get results. Study4player has experienced a great interest from the athletes and have since 2007 guided more than 500. Study4player is put in to place to help as many athletes as possible educate and to confront the cultural challenge of putting education on the agenda of the changing room in especially the professional football clubs. Study4player already see some changes and is of course providing the players with one good example after another. One good example is embodied by national team player William Kvist, who have had support from Study4player to fit in education with his everyday life as a professional footballer at the Danish national champions of 2010 FC Copenhagen. William brought his books and PC with him to South Africa so he could work on his bachelor project. As William points out: “When you are away for a longer period you might as well get the best of it.”  William Kvist (photo © Per Kjærbye) |
Sports Management Instructievideo
1st Workshop FIFPro Online Academy
Demonstration virtual class
