Karen Fladset
Encyclopedia
Karen Fladset is a former Norwegian team handball
player and coach. She played for the club IL Vestar and the Norwegian women's national handball team
. With Vestar she became Norwegian Champion both as player and coach, and she was top scorer in the Norwegian league for four seasons. After her playing career she was head coach for the national team for two years, and later coach for various clubs. She was also Norwegian champion in discus throw
three times.
as the daughter of Olav Fladset (1905–1970) and Lillemor Hofset (1909–1992). She is the cousin of former Norwegian footballplayer, Finn Seeman. She made her debut on the national handball team in 1962, 17 years old. She was educated as a gymnastics teacher at Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
(then called ). Here she received a scholarship from 1970 to 1973, and wrote a thesis on handball tactics.
In the 1960s she also competed in athletics. She won the national championships in discus throw
in 1962, 1966 and 1967, and achieved bronze medals in 1963 and 1968. Her winning result in 1962 of 36.13 metres was the worst winning result since 1949 (Norwegian championships for women were inaugurated in 1947). In 1966 and 1967 she won with 37.42 metres and 38.24 metres respectively. Her personal best throw was 39.84 metres, achieved in June 1967 on Frogner stadion
. She represented SK Olymp until the mid-1960s, when she changed club to IL Vestar, and still has the club record in Olymp (now: IL Molde-Olymp
), in both discus throw and high jump
. She also had 5.52 metres in the long jump
from 1966.
in the Netherlands and the 1973 World Women's Handball Championship
in Yugoslavia. During the 1975/1976 season Fladset was assistant coach for the national team, when Frode Kyvåg
was head coach.
in Hungary, where they placed seventh, which was so far the best performance of the women's national team. The team lost to East Germany
and Hungary
, won against United States
, Congo, Bulgaria
and West Germany, and played even with Romania
. At the qualification tournament in Poland in 1983 the Norwegian team failed to qualify for the 1984 Olympics. Fladset resigned as coach for the national team, and Sven-Tore Jacobsen
took over in 1984, after a short period with Vinko Kandija as head coach. During the 1980s she was coach for the clubs Vestar, Refstad, Bækkelaget
and Toten. Fladset was among the first coaches to introduce weight training
for women. She increased the amount of training activity compared to earlier practice, and she focused on developing handball into a faster and more technical sport.
Besides her handball career, Fladset has worked as a teacher both at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
and at the Lambertseter
secondary school. From 1985 she was an expert commentator for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation during handball championships, often together with radio sports reporter Unni Anisdahl
.
Fladset is regarded as having had significant influence on quality improvement of Norwegian women's handball, as a long-term player, coach and commentator, including her role as coach for Marit Breivik
, later successful head coach for the national team. In 1999 she was awarded the Handball Statuette by the Norwegian Handball Federation
. In 2010 she was among the nominated for the award Egebergs Ærespris
, for her achievements in team handball and athletics.
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
player and coach. She played for the club IL Vestar and the Norwegian women's national handball team
Norway women's national handball team
The Norway women's national handball team is the national team of Norway. It is governed by the Norwegian Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions....
. With Vestar she became Norwegian Champion both as player and coach, and she was top scorer in the Norwegian league for four seasons. After her playing career she was head coach for the national team for two years, and later coach for various clubs. She was also Norwegian champion in discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
three times.
Early life and career
Fladset was born in BorgundBorgund, Møre og Romsdal
Borgund is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality consisted of the islands of Sula, Humla, Tørla, and Ellingsøya, as well as parts of Oksenøya, Hessa, and Nørvøya, plus many minor islands throughout the area...
as the daughter of Olav Fladset (1905–1970) and Lillemor Hofset (1909–1992). She is the cousin of former Norwegian footballplayer, Finn Seeman. She made her debut on the national handball team in 1962, 17 years old. She was educated as a gymnastics teacher at Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences is a public university located at Sognsvann in Oslo, Norway. It has the national responsibility for education and research related within sport sciences. It provides education at Bachelor, Master and Doctorate level....
(then called ). Here she received a scholarship from 1970 to 1973, and wrote a thesis on handball tactics.
In the 1960s she also competed in athletics. She won the national championships in discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
in 1962, 1966 and 1967, and achieved bronze medals in 1963 and 1968. Her winning result in 1962 of 36.13 metres was the worst winning result since 1949 (Norwegian championships for women were inaugurated in 1947). In 1966 and 1967 she won with 37.42 metres and 38.24 metres respectively. Her personal best throw was 39.84 metres, achieved in June 1967 on Frogner stadion
Frogner stadion
Frogner stadion is a sports stadium in Oslo, Norway. It is located close to the Frogner Park, between the park and Majorstuen.-History:It opened in 1901, and was built by Kristiania Skøiteklub. In 1914, the stadium was moved to its current position, due to the Oslo Jubilee exhibition...
. She represented SK Olymp until the mid-1960s, when she changed club to IL Vestar, and still has the club record in Olymp (now: IL Molde-Olymp
IL Molde-Olymp
Idrettslaget Molde-Olymp is a Norwegian sports club from Molde, founded in 1971 as a merger between Molde FIL and SK Olymp. It has sections for athletics and speed skating....
), in both discus throw and high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
. She also had 5.52 metres in the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
from 1966.
1970s
Fladset played team handball for the club IL Vestar, and from 1970 to 1979 she both coached and played for the club. Vestar won the national league eight years in a row, starting from the 1971/1972 season. The club also won the 1975 outdoor championship, and the national cup in 1976 and 1977. The club twice reached the semifinal of the European Champions Cup. Fladset was top scorer in the Norwegian league in the seasons 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1978–79, when she played for Vestar, and Vestar also won the national league these years. Fladset played 86 matches and scored 251 goals for the national team between 1962 and 1973, including participation at the 1971 World Women's Handball Championship1971 World Women's Handball Championship
-Final standings:Source:...
in the Netherlands and the 1973 World Women's Handball Championship
1973 World Women's Handball Championship
-Final standings:Source:...
in Yugoslavia. During the 1975/1976 season Fladset was assistant coach for the national team, when Frode Kyvåg
Frode Kyvåg
Frode Kyvåg is a Norwegian team handball coach and sports official.He was head coach for the Norway women's national handball team from 1974 to 1978. He coached the women's team of Bækkelagets SK from 1983 to 1988 and from 1991 to 2000, when the team had great success internationally, winning the...
was head coach.
1980s
Fladset took over as head coach for the national team from 1982. She coached the Norwegian team at the 1982 World Women's Handball Championship1982 World Women's Handball Championship
-Final standings:Source:...
in Hungary, where they placed seventh, which was so far the best performance of the women's national team. The team lost to East Germany
East Germany women's national handball team
The East Germany women's national handball team was the national handball team of former East Germany. The team won the World Women's Handball Championship three times, in 1971, 1975 and 1978....
and Hungary
Hungary women's national handball team
The Hungary women's national handball team is the national team of Hungary. It is governed by the Hungarian Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions...
, won against United States
United States women's national handball team
The United States women's national handball team is the national team of the United States. It takes part in international team handball competitions....
, Congo, Bulgaria
Bulgaria women's national handball team
The Bulgaria women's national handball team is the national team of Bulgaria. It takes part in international team handball competitions.The team participated in the 1982 World Women's Handball Championship in Hungary, placing 10th, and in the 1990 World Women's Handball Championship in South Korea,...
and West Germany, and played even with Romania
Romania women's national handball team
The Romanian women's national team, is the national team of Romania. It is governed by the Romanian Handball Federation and takes part in international team handball competitions.- Current squad :Head coach: Radu Voina-External links:...
. At the qualification tournament in Poland in 1983 the Norwegian team failed to qualify for the 1984 Olympics. Fladset resigned as coach for the national team, and Sven-Tore Jacobsen
Sven-Tore Jacobsen
Sven-Tore Jacobsen is a former Norwegian team handball player, and former head coach for the Norwegian women's national handball team...
took over in 1984, after a short period with Vinko Kandija as head coach. During the 1980s she was coach for the clubs Vestar, Refstad, Bækkelaget
Bækkelagets SK
Bækkelagets Sportsklub is a Norwegian sports club from Bekkelaget in southern Oslo, founded in 1909. The club has sections for skiing , orienteering, handball, football, floorball and track and field athletics...
and Toten. Fladset was among the first coaches to introduce weight training
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
for women. She increased the amount of training activity compared to earlier practice, and she focused on developing handball into a faster and more technical sport.
Besides her handball career, Fladset has worked as a teacher both at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences is a public university located at Sognsvann in Oslo, Norway. It has the national responsibility for education and research related within sport sciences. It provides education at Bachelor, Master and Doctorate level....
and at the Lambertseter
Lambertseter
Lambertseter is a suburb of the city of Oslo, Norway, and is part of the borough of Nordstrand.Lambertseter was built over a short period starting from 1951, and was the very first modern suburb of Oslo...
secondary school. From 1985 she was an expert commentator for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation during handball championships, often together with radio sports reporter Unni Anisdahl
Unni Anisdahl
Unni Anisdahl is a Norwegian former handball player, and later sports reporter for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. She played 72 matches for the national handball team in the 1970s, including the 1971, 1973 and 1975 World Women's Handball Championships.-References:...
.
Fladset is regarded as having had significant influence on quality improvement of Norwegian women's handball, as a long-term player, coach and commentator, including her role as coach for Marit Breivik
Marit Breivik
Marit Breivik is a former Norwegian team handball player, and former head coach for the Norwegian women's national handball team...
, later successful head coach for the national team. In 1999 she was awarded the Handball Statuette by the Norwegian Handball Federation
Norwegian Handball Federation
The Norwegian Handball Federation is the national handball association in Norway.The Norwegian Handball Federation was founded in 1937, and is a member of the Norwegian Confederation of Sports , the European Handball Federation and the International Handball Federation. Its headquarters are in Oslo...
. In 2010 she was among the nominated for the award Egebergs Ærespris
Egebergs Ærespris
The Egebergs Ærespris is a prize awarded to Norwegian athletes who excel in more than one sport. The prize was created by Ferdinand Julian Egeberg, and consists of a bronze statuette modelled by sculptor Magnus Vigrestad.-History:...
, for her achievements in team handball and athletics.