Post–Football Player Career Transitions, Athlete Identity, and Higher Education

• In Event: 72.048 - Roundtable Session 33
  In Roundtable Session: 72.048-15 - Life After Sport: What Happens When It's Over?

Abstract

Although many student athletes believe they will have a career as a professional football player, the probability is that only 1.6% of them will be hired as first year professionals. Therefore, on leaving college most of them must transition into a non-athlete identity and enter into their next career stage. Athletic departments need to anticipate and adequately prepare these student athletes for their end-of-athletic-career transitions. This study explores and analyses how retired college and professional footballers, who work as supporting stakeholders in higher education institutions, describe and make sense of the development of their identity as non-athletes. It has direct implications for informing student athlete player development programs aimed at addressing post degree and end-of-athletic career transitions.

Authors

• Ann Unterreiner, Arizona State University - Tempe

• Joyanne Beverly De Four-Babb, University of Belize