Former Female Athlete Experiences: A Qualitative Exploration

• In Event: Beyond the Game: Navigating Identities and Policies in Collegiate Athletics

Abstract

On any given year there are over 200,000 female student athletes across all three NCAA
divisions (NCAA, 2022a). These female student-athletes have majors across all disciplines and experiences across different sports at different levels. Student-athletes often take the experiences and skills they have learned from being an athlete to the next phase of their life (Paule & Gilson, 2010). The purpose of this study is to explore former female student-athletes' experiences and the impact on their career and personal life. Three former student-athletes have been interviewed with 13 more scheduled for next month. Preliminary findings indicate former female student-athletes have high athletic identity, identify adaptability as a transferable skill, believe they lead by example, and athletics led to career opportunities.

Authors

• Lisa Rufer, Rider University

• Savanna M. Love, Randolph-Macon College