A product of the NF Academy school

A product of the NF Academy school

Published on: 25/06/2019
Ingvar cover

A product of the NF Academy school

Loddefjord player Ingvar Kolbjørnsen (14) is thankful to NF Academy for being the full-fledged player that he is now. It is said that there are many roads for success and that is true as well for young boys with big football dreams. Ingvar Kolbjørnsen is a good example of never to giving up. The 14-year-old has played with players in Hordaland, and yet he was not considered good enough to join the circuit rule. Although it was a great disappointment, the Sotra player kept the motivation and belief in his own skills.

The journey with NF Academy started in autumn 2017

In the autumn of 2017, Kolbjørnsen joined NF Academy’s Elite Training Camp in Portugal, where he had a one week long program with two daily sessions. It was an unforgettable week and the start of a new chapter in his football life. In addition to training with motivated  players from all over the Nordic countries and Norway, Kolbjørnsen keeps in good contact with with several of those players as they have regularly trained in NF Academy’s program. From autumn 2017 until today, the journey has gone from being part of the NF Academy’s program until the offer that the 14 year old player accepted from Brann this summer. Ingvar Kolbjørnsen is now part of Brann’s G16 team during the 2020 season.

“The time in NF Academy meant everything for my young football career. I was probably losing focus in the fall of 2017, when I wasn’t feeling challenged in Bergen. Through the programs of the NF Academy I have grown a lot as a player. During the Iber Cup in Cascais in Easter I was captain of their 2005 team. It was great, and now I will sign the contract with Brann, ”says Ingvar Kolbjørnsen.

The turning point

Many boy dreams are crushed on the day that the outlet to Bylaget or the circuit comes, when their name doesn’t show up. That happened to Ingvar Kolbjørnsen in the fall of 2017. Of course, the parents backed their son up by telling them that there were still many opportunities left for him.

Team Captain for NF Elite Selection U14 in Ibercup Cascais
Team Captain for NF Elite Selection U14 in Ibercup Cascais
Ingvar Kolbjørnsen playing for NF Academy
Ingvar Kolbjørnsen playing for NF Academy
The next opportunity was Cascais: a week of sun and summer for the parents and one week of football training for Ingvar.
The next opportunity was Cascais: a week of sun and summer for the parents and one week of football training for Ingvar.

“I would particularly like to point out the two NF Elite Training Camps Ingvar has been involved in. They have lifted him tremendously. Ingvar is a product of NF Academy system and what Tommy Knarvik has done in the Academy of Sotra. In particular, the evaluation reports and feedback from the coaches in the NF Academy have been valuable. Ingvar could only play with his left foot. After the program in Portugal, he traveled home and practiced on the right-foot and on his head game. Today he is a 2-foot player with good skills on his head as well, ”says father Helge Kolbjørnsen.

READ ALSO: The registration for NF Elite Training Camp Portugal in autumn of 2019 is underway

The son Ingvar has also been part of NF Academy’s team during the Iber Cup in Cascais and Esbjerg in addition to an elite tournament for the 2005 team in Riga.

“It has been a pro-trial since the first meeting in Portugal. My motivation before and after is not comparable. It has meant a lot to my workout at home in Bergen. Especially the follow-up I have received from the coaches has been valuable. The evaluation has sharpened my training on precisely the skills I needed”, says Ingvar Kolbjørnsen.

(Follow Ingvar’s development on Instragram. Article continues under the picture)

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Takk for en fin uke💪

A post shared by Ingvar Kolbjørnsen (@ingvarkolbjornsen) on

From Sotra to Brann

The 14-year-old has increased steadily since the fall of 2017. In the last six months, Kolbjørnsen has been training with Brann. He came from Sotra in the summer of 2018. On Wednesday, June 12, Ingvar signed the contract with Brann.

“I was a little relieved to get that offer from Brann. Everything is professional now and the care that players will get there to develop is the best possible. Recently, we were in Stockholm and met Bayern Munich among other things. There we became the best Nordic team. This summer I will be in the Audi Elite Cup, and at the same time play the Dana Cup with Loddefjord. It will be a nice summer”, says Ingvar smiling.

For a cautious boy from Sotra playing for Brann is a dream. Mentally it can be a mountain to climb. Two years in the NF Academy system are valuable luggage to carry.

NF Academy has been very professional from the very beginning. It’s been a great journey. At the same time, meeting large teams or challenging myself outside of the comfort zone has made this time very valuable. I am better mentally prepared for bigger tasks. The coaches in NF Academy have taught me a lot. Not only as a player, but about everything from value choice to choice with and without ball”, concludes Ingvar Kolbjørnsen.

NF Academy is seeking players

We are looking for players for our elite teams who participate in the elite tournament Nordic Invitational Cup July 28 to August 4. In the autumn holidays, skilled players can also join the NF Elite Training Camp in Portugal in collaboration with Sporting Academy.

Please send us a short description of the player and which events you are interested in attending. We follow up with advice.


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