Abstract

In recent years, there has been growing scholarly interest in dual career development, exploring how academic commitments can intersect with ambitions in elite sport. This article addresses the complexities of balancing academic and elite sport obligations, highlighting the different and contrasting core values inherent in both domains. Drawing on theoretical concepts and policy documents as well as qualitative data from prior studies on young male football players’ socialization into Danish senior elite football, this article first aims to delineate core values characterizing elite sport (inequality, competition, performance) and upper-secondary school (equality, togetherness, formation). Secondly, it proposes a strategy to navigate these values and foster understanding between the two domains. The purpose of this strategy is to establish a mutually beneficial relationship where both school (educators) and sport (coaches) contribute to the well-rounded development of Danish male football talents, aged 16 to 20 years, considering the challenges associated with pursuing a dual career trajectory.