Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Paula-Marie Ferrara, Kinesiology

Document Type

Poster

Event Date

4-12-2024

Abstract

Former college athletes (FCAs) can exhibit detrimental changes to physical and mental perceptions following sports retirement. Because FCAs no longer engage in regular sports training, they also experience a loss of social support through teammates and coaches, and struggle with enacting their newfound autonomy to exercise. To understand how to help FCAs maintain exercise and health long-term, the purpose of this study is to explore former Division III (DIII) athletes' experiences with exercise maintenance following retirement from sport and graduation from college, and understand their opinions on how their institution could have better prepared them for this transition. Fourteen former DIII athletes from the Hope College class of 2023 (22±1 years, 71% female, 85% White) completed semi-structured interviews via Zoom between November-December 2023. Interviews were based off of a previous data collection these participants completed following their retirement, in which their perceptions of health and fitness and plans for maintaining exercise were explored. Transcriptions from the present interviews are in the process of being analyzed, via the Consensual Qualitative Research method. Final results will be presented in full at CURCA in April, 2024, and will be utilized in future research to develop a behavioral program designed to prepare Hope College student-athletes for their retirement and future health maintenance.

Comments

This research was supported by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology Seed Grant.

Title on poster differs from abstract booklet. Poster title: Retiring College Athletes' Experiences of Post-Sport Exercise: How Institutions Can Do Better

One author in abstract booklet, Christian Clark, does not appear on poster.

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