Daniel-André Tande is unemployed after his career as a ski jumper

– I have so little to do that I can't even do anything. It’s quite boring.
This is what a candid Tande shares as he meets NRK at the base of the Olympic hill in Lillehammer. The World Cup season kicks off in his current hometown on Friday, but for the first time in ten years, he is not participating.

Two months have passed since he emotionally announced that his ski jumping career was over.

The time that has followed has not been easy for the former World and Olympic champion.

– There was a void, Tande says.

For ten years, Tande traveled the world with his teammates. Overnight, that is gone.

– Now I am trying to find something I can look forward to in the morning.

Tande describes feeling "listless," struggling to get off the couch.

– Financially, I can manage for a little while, but for my own mental health, I want to set a short deadline.

– How does this affect your mental health?
– Walking in circles on the living room floor isn't healthy for anyone. I think we need to have some routines and something concrete to spend our days on, Tande explains.

– It became a downward spiral that is terribly boring. One is dependent on close family and friends to push you out the door, he continues.

Dark Thoughts Come Quickly

Psychologist Dag Sørum has worked closely with several athletes. He explains that the period after a career can feel like heartbreak.

– They know the group better than their own family, and in a way, they lose that belonging to the group, Sørum says.

SPECIALIST: Dag Sørum.

Photo: Lars Thomas Nordby / NRK

– You often end up feeling powerless and demoralized, experiencing apathy and some sorrow, he continues.

The psychologist’s clearest advice is to quickly turn around negative thought processes.

– Dark thoughts come quickly. And once they come, they are often difficult to turn around. If they sit alone in their little echo chamber, says psychologist Sørum.

When Daniel-André Tande was about to make one of his boldest jumps ever, it went terribly wrong. His closest ones feared for his life.

Thankful for His Partner

The former ski jumper thanks his girlfriend Karoline Lobben for her support since he retired.

– The most important for me has, of course, been my partner who keeps pestering me. But that's just because she wanted to push me out of the self-pity I was in at times. To actually get up and accomplish what I want.

The two began dating last winter, and Tande highlights her as his biggest support this fall.

Next week, the couple will move away from Lillehammer to Frogner in Oslo.

– She has been very important. Otherwise, I would just have been lying on the couch. There’s no doubt about that.

COUPLE: Karoline Lobben and Daniel-André Tande, here from the ski jumping NM in Lillehammer in March.

Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB

Struggling with Learning Difficulties

Tande has scoured the job market but struggles to find something that suits him. He has tried to education during his career but has not succeeded.

– I have never been a fan of school, so I have done very little to prepare for such a transition. This is something many athletes might relate to, Tande explains.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: Tande on his first school day. He has struggled significantly with dyslexia since elementary school.

Photo: PRIVATE

Tande has struggled with reading difficulties his whole life and shares that it has been a significant challenge. But he hopes this will not hinder him in his quest for a new life.

– I envision that it is very difficult to find a job, even though it probably isn’t.

– As long as I get help with writing, it should work out fine. I think I almost need to try things out and find out what suits me along the way, he says.

Daniel André Tande had major problems in school. He struggled with dyslexia. Fortunately, there was a teacher who saw him and understood that he had a lot to give. So much that he is now one of the world’s best ski jumpers.

Receiving Professional Help

The 30-year-old is part of the Next Step project. It is a collaborative project with Olympiatoppen to help athletes transition into working life.

– It is very useful. I have made contacts there that I plan to talk to further. So it may be that the path looks easier in a month’s time than it does right now, Tande says.

NEXT STEP: Ingvild Lappegård.

Photo: Lars Thomas Nordby / NRK

Ingvild Lappegård is responsible for recruitment and partnerships in the project, and she believes they can help him find the right path.

– There is so much that doesn’t rely on numerical understanding or reading and writing, but relies on working towards results, being disciplined and structured. Being part of a team, Lappegård continues:

– There are incredibly many qualities and skills that top athletes bring with them from their active careers, which are super valuable to take into working life, and which I know employers greatly appreciate.

See the World Cup start for the jumpers on NRK 1 and NRK TV from 4:00 PM on Friday.

HOPE: Daniel-André Tande will maintain contact with the jumpers but also looks forward to getting to know other environments.

Photo: Brede Bleiklie Thomassen / NRK

Published 22.11.2024, at 09:44 Updated 22.11.2024, at 11:07