Identity and athletic retirement: A prospective study

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to reexamine the relationship between identity and athletic retirement using a longitudinal, prospective design.MethodOne-on-one, in-depth interviews were conducted with three male and three female university student athletes at three times: at the outset of their last season of competition, approximately 1 month after their retirement, and approximately 1 year later. The unstructured raw data was analyzed inductively following procedures established in the literature [Côté, Salmela, Baria, & Russell (1993). Organizing and interpreting unstructured qualitative data. The Sport Psychologist, 7, 127–137; Côté, Salmela, & Russell (1995). The knowledge of high-performance gymnastic coaches: Methodological framework. The Sport Psychologist, 9, 65–75; Miller & Kerr (2002a). The athletic, academic, and social experiences of intercollegiate student-athletes. Journal of Sport Behavior, 25, 346–367].ResultsThe findings revealed the participants committed themselves strongly to their athletic goals and anticipated disrupted identities upon retirement. As a result, they employed several coping strategies including the proactive diminishment of their athletic identities prior to retirement. Decreasing the prominence of their athletic identities precluded a major identity crisis or confusion upon and following athletic retirement.ConclusionsThe study concludes that the redefinition of self long before sport career termination may protect one's identity during this transition process.