Combine sports and studies in Volda!

"Combining studies and elite sports provides you with an additional social setting outside of school and helps you unwind. To me, sports offer extra energy, community, and motivation to perform on multiple arenas."

Torvald Ljostveit Reiersen (23), volleyball player and education student.

Studies + elite sports = a good match!

In Volda, you don't have to choose between the dream of a good education and the passion for sports. Here, distances are short and the opportunities are many. Who says you can't have both top grades and top scores?

You might have read about Dana Björg Gudmundsdottir, who combined teacher training with playing in the Handball European Championship 2024. She is not the only student performing in the sports arena while studying in Volda. In this article, you get to get to know some more students.

A daily life with training and studies

Marie (24) has played volleyball at KFUM Volda for over ten years and has combined studies with sports at various levels. She believes that not only is it possible, but also rewarding to balance both:

Marie Brænde (24)

Studies: Idrett og kroppsøving – årsstudium

Sports: KFUM Volda, Volleyball 1. division

– Balancing studies and training has been easy since I study sports. We have little mandatory teaching in the afternoons/evenings, so the training sessions fit well into my daily routine. Playing matches in the weekend can sometimes be more challenging, as my team often travel early on Fridays to play games in cities far from Volda. However, it has not been a big problem for me since I've usually also had Friday's off from school.

Marie emphasizes that sports provided her with an additional social network outside of her studies:

– The good environment around me, both in my studies and in sports, gave me energy and joy in performing.

Unity and motivation

The social community that sports provide is an important motivational factor for many students. Halvard, who plays football for the club Hødd in the OBOS division (second level in Norway), emphasizes the team spirit that arise both in sports and in an academic life:

– It is motivating to work towards a common goal together with a team. The unity makes you perform better, whether it is in training, in a match, or in your academic daily life.

Halvard Kvamme Urnes (22)

Studies: Idrett og kroppsøving - bachelor

Sports: IL Hødd Fotball, OBOS-league

Benjamin (21), who plays football for Volda Fotball in the Norsk Tipping league (fourth level), experiences both environments as important social arenas:

– The good community around me, both in my studies and in sports, makes me thrive and find motivation to perform both academically and on the field.

Benjamin Opaker Tilseth (21)

Studies: Idrett og kroppsøving - bachelor

Sports: Volda TI Fotball, Norsk Tipping league

Student life in Volda

Torvald and Shiva, who, like Marie, play volleyball for KFUM Volda, believe that student life in Volda is characterized by an inclusive environment and close contact with the teachers:

Torvald Ljostveit Reiersen (23)

Studies: Grunnskulelærar 5. – 10. trinn

Sports: KFUM Volda, 2. division

– I really like that we have classes in classrooms and not large auditoriums. It makes it easier to get to know people and get help from the teachers, who are easily accessible on campus, says Torvald.

Shiva follows up with what he sees as the biggest advantages of studying in Volda:

– One of the biggest advantages of studying in Volda is that everything is so close. It never takes long to go to the store, to training, or out on the town. In addition, it is such a small place that you often meet friends everywhere. The last, and perhaps most important for many, is the nature around here and the opportunities for hiking.

Shiva Zeiner (24)

Studies: Idrett og kroppsøving

Idrett: KFUM Volda, 1. division