This quantitative study was done within the research field of sports pedagogy, and in cooperation with the Swedish Ice Hockey Association (SIHA). The study was about the parents of young hockey players, and it focused on the parents' sporting backgrounds as well as their commitment to and interest in ice hockey. Data was collected with the help of a questionnaire (n=134) among 5 ice hockey clubs in the north of Sweden. The results show that the majority of the parents did not have a background in ice hockey themselves, and those who had such a background were all male. The results also show other differences between female and male parents in terms of commitment to and interest in ice hockey. There were also results that showed a relationship between the parents’ educational background and their levels of commitment to ice hockey. The study also contains a discussion about its possible contribution regarding knowledge about the parents of young hockey players and suggestions for future research.

Around the sports world, a considerable shift and trend reversal from organized club-based sportsengagement to unorganized forms of sport participation, also known as informal sports, is taking place. As a result, Swedish communities allocate funds from tight budgets for informal sports facilities and encourage investments due to concerns that fewer children and young people are active in sports clubs and that physical activity is no longer seen as an obvious part of leisure activities. However,previous research shows that such interventions often fail to effectively engage the sedentary and inactive target demographic, instead offering additional opportunities for individuals who are already physically active to engage in sports. When the pandemic broke out and authorities recommended avoiding shared indoor spaces many chose to spend their new found free time outdoors in recreational areas. This study's aim was to generate knowledge about engagement in informal sports in recreational areas and its relation to individuals’ sports backgrounds. During four observation occasions a participatory observation study was conducted to obtain a broader picture of the various individuals who visits a recreational area in a city in northern Sweden. The results suggest that sports background and athletic experience play a significant role in determining who visits the recreational area for informal sports. These visitors are not a societal group that policymakers should be concerned about in terms of promoting a healthy lifestyle.