In the wake of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, one of the biggest stories was that of Norway’s continued dominance in the Winter Games. For the fourth Olympic cycle in a row, Norway topped the medal leaderboards, with a total of 41 medals in 2026—18 of them gold. But Norway’s success didn’t just appear. It’s a product not only of individual commitment, but cultural change.
Over the last few weeks, multiple articles have been published exploring why a country of just 5.6 million people has been able not only to reach this level of success but stay there. Ultimately, it comes down to a few primary factors.
Kids are encouraged to start playing sports early. There’s no pressure to specialize in one sport right away, no scoring or league standings, and kids are rewarded for playing, not winning. Fostering an enjoyment of sports early means people ultimately like playing sports longer. They don’t get sick of the competition or the pressure to win. A lifestyle of balanced activity, sport as a part of daily life, and varied athletic pursuits means that burnout and injury are less likely. Most importantly, the focus is not on forcing athletes to be the best, only that people continue playing. The goal is for Norwegians to become people who remain engaged with sport and activity through their entire lives—regardless of whether that’s at the Olympic level.
In CNN’s article, it’s noted that 93% of Norway’s population has been involved in some kind of organized sports by the time they’re 25. In America, 70% of kids who played sports stop by age 13, with injury and burnout as the leading reasons.
Something about this struck me. I lived the “leaving youth sports due to injury” story firsthand. That could have been the end of it — the same story for me and for millions of other youth and high school athletes in America. But instead, I’ve spent the last near-decade trying to come back. Without even knowing it, I was trying to follow in the Norwegian blueprint.
The concept of becoming a lifelong athlete has long held a certain appeal. It’s not just about the flex of being able to say “I’ve been doing this for X years,” it’s about never losing the drive for improvement, and continuing to expand physical skill, technical knowledge and interpersonal connection. As a former coach once told me, “Rowing takes a few weeks to learn, and the rest of your life to perfect.” By necessity, that means you need a “rest of your life” to work on it.
There’s also something to be said about continuing to be committed to wellness outside of the bounds of school-mandated activity. I’ve battled my way through multiple injuries, so I understand better than most the importance of preventing another one. The long stretches of sitting out, limited mobility and becoming deeply acquainted with physical therapy offices have also taught me the importance of maintaining strength and range of motion, and that being able to use your body however you want—for as long as you want— isn’t something to be taken for granted.
For me, physical wellness is only one side of the equation—what’s always been engaging about sports has been the mental challenge. Whether it’s to compete against others or just to prove that I’m better than I was the day before, I’ve loved pushing myself to learn: to remember drills, to soak up feedback, reflect on my work, and envision where I want to be in the future. I know I can be a nerd about rowing especially, but I can’t help it. Plus, it gives me the opportunity to focus on life outside of work and prevent burnout by treating my sport as a reward—something to think about and devote time to because I want to, not because I have to.
Team culture is another major factor for why people stick with their sports—or don’t. Having good team culture motivates you to keep showing up, to commit fully at practice, and know that even when things are tough, at least you’re not in it alone. Those challenges can build character, to put it nicely, but without a strong culture, many people aren’t willing to put up with the work. Without that culture, it’s even easier to slip into burnout, boredom or lack of focus in sports. The fact that my team was expecting me was one of the few things that got me going on those early mornings when I didn’t want to show up—especially when I was injured.
Above all, I think a lot of people forget that sports are supposed to be fun. That doesn’t change when you graduate from school or leave junior leagues. I really liked the acknowledgement that Norwegian kids aren’t expected to specialize in one sport early—they’re encouraged to take time away from their primary sport, try multiple sports at once, explore other types of activity, and find their way to (or back to) what they’re truly passionate about. There’s nothing wrong with coming back to a sport after time away—no matter how long it’s been—or even picking up something new as an adult. What matters is you’re active. You haven’t given up all together.
I will likely never reach the Norwegian level of success at the elite or Olympic level, but I think that something else from their philosophy has already rubbed off— finding passion and purpose through participation itself.
