Athlete Transitions: 5 Key Strategies to Successfully Transition Post-Sport

One aspect of participating in sports are the life skills athletes learn during their sport journey which can be utilised in their career post-retirement. Beyond the athletes on the field, there are countless roles that contribute to the success of sports organisations. From coaches and trainers to sports journalists and psychologists, the opportunities are abundant for those who have either not made it as a professional athlete or are currently in the transition to retire from elite sports.

As with any endeavour worth pursuing, building a career in the sports industry requires persistence and resilience. Facing rejection and setbacks is an unavoidable part of life, but it's our resilience and determination that truly shape our journey toward success. By staying dedicated to our goals and values and continually expanding our knowledge and skills during our sport career, we can navigate transitions and setbacks more effectively. Setting clear, achievable and realistic goals aligned with our career aspirations and values can provide a roadmap for progress.

Additionally, it's crucial to create a retirement plan to help navigate the transition from sport to life post-sport. Understanding the challenges and opportunities in athlete retirement transitions, as revealed by past research, sheds light on the multifaceted nature of careers in sports. Past research emphasizes the importance of addressing identity loss, career regret, and abrupt lifestyle changes common among retiring athletes by implementing pre-retirement and post-retirement planning. 5 key strategies that have helped athletes transition to life post-sport are:

  1. Integrating Retirement Planning Into Mental Health Programming (Voorheis et al., 2023).

  2. Life Skills Development
    -Long term career planning based on skills and interests (Park et al., 2012).

  3. Education Support
    -Enrolling in post-secondary programs or training courses (Park et al., 2012).

  4. Holistic Psychological Support
    -Indivdiualised support from a trained professional (e.g. Sport Psychologist, Certified Mental Performance Consultant) focused on who the individual is as an athlete and human being (Stambulova et al., 2021).

  5. Social support network
    -Strong social support pre-retirement and post-retirement were associated with higher levels of successfully being able to cope with stressful situations (Knights et al., 2019).

Each athlete’s journey in their transition to retirement will be different based on the athlete and their circumstances, therefore it’s important bare in mind that the 5 strategies are used more as guideline and catered to the individual. By embracing the reality of our abilities, exploring alternative paths and recognising the challenges and opportunities in athlete retirement transitions, we can find fulfilment and success post-sport.

References

Knights, S., Sherry, E., Ruddock-Hudson, M., & O’Halloran, P. (2019). The end of a professional sport career: Ensuring a positive transition. Journal of Sport Management, 33(6), 518-529.

Park, S., Lavallee, D., & Tod, D. (2012). The development of an athlete career transition programme: A case study. QMiP Bulletin, (13), 11-19.

Park, S., Lavallee, D., & Tod, D. (2013). Athletes' career transition out of sport: A systematic review. International review of sport and exercise psychology, 6(1), 22-53.

Stambulova, N. B., Ryba, T. V., & Henriksen, K. (2021). Career development and transitions of athletes: The international society of sport psychology position stand revisited. International journal of sport and exercise psychology, 19(4), 524-550.

Voorheis, P., Silver, M., & Consonni, J. (2023). Adaptation to life after sport for retired athletes: A scoping review of existing reviews and programs. PloS one, 18(9), e0291683. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/10.1371/journal.pone.0291683