Best Practice Ambassador
Halmstads BK
A staff perspective on dual career, long-term thinking and building a culture beyond football
Featuring: Morgan Ljungkvist, DC coordinator
At Halmstads BK, dual career is not seen as a problem to solve, but as a better way to develop players.
Through the work of Morgan Ljungkvist, who connects the club with Halmstad University and supports the development of dual career structures, the club offers a valuable example of how football and education can strengthen one another. As part of the EDU-DC project, Halmstads BK contributes as a Best Practice Ambassador, sharing its perspective on how dual career can become part of a club’s culture, mindset and everyday decisions.
What makes this example especially relevant is that the club’s approach is not built only on formal structures, but on a long-standing belief: a player is always more than football alone.
“There is so much more to a person than their football.”
For Morgan Ljungkvist, dual career begins with seeing the whole person, not only the athlete.
In his view, school and football should not be treated as separate worlds. The skills that players develop in education — such as planning, building routines, reflecting, analysing and working towards long-term goals — are also valuable on the pitch. This is why dual career is not only important for life after football, but also for development during a player’s sporting journey.
At Halmstads BK, this way of thinking has existed for many years. The academy has built a culture in which school comes first, and that principle influences practical decisions throughout the club. It affects dialogue with schools, the planning of schedules and even wider organisational choices.
One of the strongest aspects of the Halmstad model is that dual career is treated as something that should be integrated sustainably, not added temporarily.
Morgan explains that mindset plays a decisive role. If the adults around academy players truly believe education matters, then the system starts to work naturally. Coaches, staff and leaders understand that school is not a disruption, but part of responsible player development.
This philosophy becomes visible in practical ways. For example, the club works to ensure that studies and football do not unnecessarily clash, and players are supported when academic responsibilities require flexibility. A strong example is the decision to adapt U19 match scheduling around university entrance exams, so players do not have to choose between an important academic step and their football commitments.
“Don’t look at dual career as a problem. Look at it as something beneficial.”
Another important part of the Halmstad approach is preparation for transition.
The club is very clear about one reality of football: every career ends. It may happen through injury, selection decisions, personal choice or changing priorities, but it will happen. Because of that, players need support not only for the present, but also for what comes next.
Together with the sports psychology programme at Halmstad University, players from around the age of 15 are introduced to transition-related themes and psychological preparation. This gives them tools to better understand change, manage uncertainty and build readiness for future decisions both within and beyond football.
At the same time, Halmstads BK also recognises that cultural barriers still exist.
In men’s football especially, education is not always seen as something “cool.” Players may avoid talking openly about studying because they fear it sends the wrong message about ambition. Social and family background can also influence how naturally education is valued.
That is why role models matter. Morgan points out that football still needs more visible examples of players who combine elite sport with academic development. Changing culture requires examples that show young players they do not have to choose between being committed athletes and being curious, capable learners.
“You don’t play football with your feet — you play with your brain.”
What makes Halmstads BK a valuable best practice example is not only that it supports dual career, but that it understands its broader value.
This approach is about more than helping players pass exams or fit school around training. It is about building healthier, more reflective and better-prepared people. It is about recognising that long-term development sometimes requires small short-term adjustments. And it is about creating a football culture where education is not seen as a distraction, but as part of becoming a better player and a stronger person.
For the EDU-DC project, Halmstads BK offers a meaningful staff-based best practice example — one that shows how dual career can become part of a club’s identity, decisions and future vision.
Halmstads BK stands out because it combines practical flexibility with long-term thinking. Its example reminds us that dual career is strongest when it is not treated as an exception, but as a normal part of how a club supports young athletes.
That is what makes this story worth sharing.