From the WNBA to the PGA, from the NFL to the Olympics, it’s been a year of athlete retirement news. And it’s not just the athletes who are affected by this transition, but their parents, partners and coaches too.
Athletes are used to living a very specific lifestyle and they often associate their identity with their sport. This can make it hard for them to adjust after retiring from it, and research shows that some top-level athletes have difficulty separating their former career from their own identities.
This is a significant problem as it can lead to depression, eating disorders and substance abuse in extreme cases. The study, published in the journal Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, was conducted by Dr Francesca Cavallerio from Anglia Ruskin University, alongside colleagues Dr Chris Wagstaff from the University of Portsmouth and Dr Ross Wadey from St Mary’s University.
The findings showed that the majority of retired sportspeople were still strongly entangled in their former identities. Some had ‘going forward’ narratives and were able to distance themselves from their former careers, while others struggled to do so and were more likely to have an entangled profile.
As a result, many athletes struggle to find meaning in their post-athletic lives. This can be exacerbated by financial issues, which can leave some former stars struggling on food stamps or credit card debt in their early years of retirement. The financial side of retiring is important to consider, and it’s worth taking some time to understand your options before making any quick decisions.