Making, not breaking the young, aspiring athlete: the development of Prep to be PRO (Nærmere Best) – a Norwegian school-based educational programme

This educational programme appears to be a notable step forward in the Norwegian sports school's approach. Specifically, it may enhance the focus on overall health, introduce an individualised approach and foster long-term athlete development. The integration into the national curriculum and the involvement of school staff in its delivery is expected to facilitate implementation. Future work will focus on the next phases of implementation, as systematic data collection from coaches and athletes, ongoing stakeholder engagement, continuous adaptation and support for educators to ensure fidelity and relevance. Updates and analyses from all evaluations will examine the programme's effectiveness. Long-term sustainability will be secured by organisational commitment, resource alignment and integrating the initiative into existing structures.