Gerco van Dalfsen

Dr. Gerco van Dalfsen is a researcher at the Sports Science Centre of Expertise Healthy Ageing at Hanze University of Applied Sciences. His work focuses on leadership dynamics in youth sports, particularly shared leadership, natural leadership, and organizational behavior in sports and recreation contexts.

• Co-developed a framework to measure shared leadership in youth sports.
• Explored evolutionary theories of leadership in elite youth football.
• Authored a book on financial management in sports organizations.

His research bridges sports science and management, targeting team dynamics, leadership competencies, and sustainable organizational practices. Key collaborations include Van Hoecke, Westerbeek, and De Bosscher.

Van Dalfsen actively contributed to academic conferences, including the World Association for Sport Management (WASM) and European Association for Sport Management (EASM) events in 2019 and 2014. His work remains centered on enhancing leadership and operational frameworks in youth sports.