Community. Equality. Identity. Local Business. Growth.
On Saturday, together with Markus Fjørtoft, I organized the Jan Åge Fjørtoft Football School in Gursken. It’s always nice to come back to the place where I used to run around with a ball many years ago.
The school is open to all children between the ages of 5 and 14. And it's free. This has become a key principle for me, especially as a signal to the sports world, which in many areas struggles with financial barriers. I am now happily noticing that more schools in this region are doing the same.
Together with Thon Hotels, we are also working consciously to increase the number of girls participating in all the events we organize. We see that systematic efforts are yielding good results.
At all our schools, we collaborate with the local sports club. Gurksen SPORTS CLUB received all the income from the kiosk and ticket sales at the exhibition match on Saturday.
A school is much more than just learning dribbling tricks and shooting practice. It is a place where generations meet. Where I get to meet students from the first schools in the 90s, who are now returning with their children to the school.
A sports activity like this is also a symbol of how communities are built. Local businesses like Sparebanken Møre, Larsnes Mek. Verksted AS, and Tussa contribute to bringing more than 300 people together on a Saturday in Gursken. Volunteers from the sports club work hard to generate income that the club can use to create more activities in the village.
Last but not least, it fosters a sense of community. This sense of belonging is essential for creating identity and connection, which in turn motivates local businesses by providing engaged employees, contributing to growth and creating more jobs in the region.
