926 BO25 – “Prep to be PRO”—developing and implementing an educational program for youth elite athletes in sports academy high schools in Norway

Background Due to the substantial burden of health problems among youth elite athletes we have developed a holistic, health-promoting, and injury-preventing educational program, across all sports. Design "Prep to be PRO" is a ten-module teacher-/coach-driven program, anchored in relevant competency and learning objectives mandated by the Norwegian Directorate of Education. Setting The program is athlete-centered and includes practical and theoretical sessions on relevant sport-specific physiological and psychological demands in high-level sports. The modules focus on growth and maturation, how to manage load progression and transition periods, overload, burnout, recovery, sports nutrition, and mental health. The aim is to contribute to athletes' overall health and to empower young athletes to make thoughtful, balanced choices that prioritize their long-term goals while navigating the challenges of sport and adolescence. Participants A questionnaire-based pilot study was performed among 158 coaches and 1101 students at 9 schools. Interventions In the development phase, we conducted meetings and practical workshops for school administrators and coaches to encourage the adoption and sustainability of the program. We also designed an evaluation form for the pilot. Main Outcome Measurements A pilot questionnaire consisting of 21 questions. Results A large majority of the coaches (83.8%-96.5%) answered "to a large or very large extent" in questions about the relevance of the program for the students. The students reported increased independence; 91.1% stated that "Prep to be PRO"-instructions improved self-confidence and 95.2% planned to integrate the knowledge acquired in their daily training. Conclusions The pilot indicated that "Prep to be PRO" empowers elite youth athletes to assume responsibility for, and to be more aware of the complexity related to, -their overall health. The program will be implemented at elite sports high schools in Norway throughout 2023–24, and each school and sport will be monitored for research purposes.