Projects per year
Personal profile
Expertise
Sofie Smismans is a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Movement and Sport Sciences (MOSS; faculty of Physical Education) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Sofie is an active member of the research group Sport Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS). She graduated at the VUB in 2016 as Master of Science in Sports Management (Magna Cum Laude) and obtained an additional Master of Science in Management (Cum Laude) in 2017. After some working experience in the practical field of sport management (i.e., Special Olympics Belgium, MOEV), she got the chance to further develop her interest in sports management by engaging in research activities. Sofie’s research interests lie in the broad domain of (elite) sport/football science and more specifically in the domains of sport management, sport policy and sport sociology. While a great interest in elite sport success on a micro -, meso – en macrolevel is prominent, during her sport science education, she also developed an important interest in the personal and societal impact of sport (e.g., gender & sport, economic aspects of sport, inspirational effect of elite sport).
As a researcher, Sofie is involved in qualitative and quantitative research on high performance management in elite sport, elite sport policy, and the societal impact of elite sport.
Sofie was actively involved in the coordination of multiple international research projects for the European Commission: Be a Winner In elite Sport and Employment before and after athletic Retirement’ (B-WISER; 2017-2018), ‘Mind the Gap’ (2018-2020), ‘Ecology of Dual Careers’ (2018-2019), 'Athletes for Society' (2020-2022) and for the International Olympic Committee (‘How should athletes be supported before, during, and after athletic retirement? Moving from an athletic-centred needs analysis to practical guidelines for career support stakeholders’). Sofie’s research activities resulted in several reports, publications, workshops and presentations of research results to policy makers (e.g., Sport Vlaanderen) and on national and international conferences (e.g., EASM, FEPSAC, VBSW).
As a lecturer, Sofie provides and assists in courses related to sport policy and management. Specifically, she coordinates the course 'Event and projectmanagement in sport', she assists in the course ‘High Performance Management’ and provides support and guidance to students in their internships Sport Management during both their bachelor’s and master’s years. She also supervises students’ master theses related to SPLISS. Next to her teaching activities, Sofie is part of faculty committees (e.g.., Opleidingsraad Postgraduaten faculteit LK; RvB Doctoral School Human Sciences, Onderwijscommissie, Onderzoekscommissie, Partnership board postgraduate international football business) and participates in faculty activities (e.g., Sport science days, infodays).
Education/Academic qualification
Economic and Social Sciences, Master in Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Sep 2016 → Jul 2017
Physical Education & Movement Sciences, Master in Sports Management, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Sep 2011 → Jul 2016
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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VLOV228: Social impact measurement of events
Derom, I., Smismans, S., Van der Steen, L. & De Bosscher, V.
1/05/24 → 31/12/26
Project: Fundamental
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EUPOM95: Erasmus+ Sport: Empowering the public value of sport through athletes and role models (MESSI)
De Bosscher, V., Smismans, S., Derom, I., De Rycke, J. & Praet, L.
1/01/21 → 30/06/23
Project: Fundamental
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EUPOM26: B-WISER – Be a Winner in Elite Sport and Employment before and after athletic Retirement (B-WISER).
Wylleman, P., De Brandt, K., Aurousseau, M., Skenazi, A., Defruyt, S. & Smismans, S.
1/01/17 → 31/12/18
Project: Fundamental
Research output
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De contradictie van sport als middel voor maatschappelijke doeleinden: inclusie impliceert niet automatisch gelijkheid
Smismans, S., 2024, In-Mind blog.Research output: Contribution to specialist/vulgarizing publication › Blog › Vulgarizing
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De krijtlijnen van Olympisch succes: Leiden meer investeringen tot meer medailles?
De Bosscher, V., Smismans, S., Descheemaeker, K. & Shibli, S., 2024, Sport & Strategie, p. 22-23 2 p.Research output: Contribution to specialist/vulgarizing publication › Article › Vulgarizing
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Paris 2024: Evaluation of the elite sport expenditure and success of 17 nations
De Bosscher, V., Shibli, S., Smismans, S., Weber, A. C., Abigael, L., Botwina, G., Brosnan, G., Codoni, D., Coeckelberghs, T., Courtin, O., Descheemaeker, K., Ferkins, L., Fornalik, J., Funahashi, H., Garin, J-M., Gábor, G., Hayman, D., Johnston, M., Kaszubski, R., Kejval, J. & 19 others, , 2024, Ghent: Owl Press. 66 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › Research
Open AccessFile41 Downloads (Pure) -
Public perceptions on elite sport’s societal outcomes: A validated scale in a European context
Praet, L., De Bosscher, V., Smismans, S. & Derom, I., 6 Sep 2024, In: European Journal of Sport Sciences (EJ-SPORT). 3, 4, p. 8-17 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
SPLISS SOFTWARE
De Bosscher, V., Shibli, S., Van Bottenburg, M. & Smismans, S., 2024Research output: Non-textual form › Software
Prizes
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Gaston Beunenprijs
Smismans, Sofie (Recipient), 11 Dec 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Societal value of elite sport: Athlete role models
Lynn Praet (Speaker), Veerle De Bosscher (Contributor), Inge Derom (Contributor) & Sofie Smismans (Contributor)
30 Jan 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a workshop/seminar
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Impact van topsporters als rolmodellen: Workshop Athletes4Society toolkit
Lynn Praet (Speaker), Sofie Smismans (Speaker), Inge Derom (Contributor) & Veerle De Bosscher (Contributor)
26 Mar 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a workshop/seminar
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Ready for the World Cup? A qualitative study on the development of women's football in Belgium.
Maud Riet S Moriau (Contributor), Inge Derom (Speaker) & Sofie Smismans (Contributor)
1 Jun 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
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Athlete testimonial: women's (amateur) football
Sofie Smismans (Invited speaker)
15 Nov 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
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Deelsessie 9: Topsporters als rolmodel
Sofie Smismans (Invited speaker)
3 Dec 2024Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
Press/Media
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Mind the gap: VUB wil voetballers behoeden voor het zwarte gat
Paul Wylleman, Sofie Smismans & Simon Defruyt
1/12/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
Thesis
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A holistic perspective on the vocational development of active and retired elite athletes
Author: Smismans, S., 29 Nov 2022Supervisor: Wylleman, P. (Promotor), De Brandt, K. (Promotor) & Vitali, F. (External person) (Advisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
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Een exploratieve analyse van de relatie tussen stadioninvesteringen en sportief/financieel succes in het voetbal
Author: Smismans, S., 2017Supervisor: Dooms, M. (Promotor)
Student thesis: Master's Thesis
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Sport en detentie: Een kwaliteitsanalyse van het voetbalaanbod in Vlaamse gevangenissen
Author: Smismans, S., Van Loock, A. & Derom, I., 2016Supervisor: Derom, I. (Promotor)
Student thesis: Master's Thesis
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Vrouwen supporteren mee. Kwalitatief onderzoek naar de ervaringen van vrouwelijke toeschouwers bij voetbalclub KV Mechelen
Author: Brenders, M., Schaillée, H., Derom, I. & Smismans, S., 2023Supervisor: Schaillée, H. (Promotor) & Derom, I. (Promotor)
Student thesis: Master's Thesis