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THE (FEMALE) ATHLETE'S STRUGGLE
Stages of Retirement
All athletes will face retirement at some point from their competitive careers. High-level athletes often have a tougher time in the transition through retirement because of high athletic identity. Athletic identity is formed by the connection between athletic success and self-worth. Early involvement and specialization are major contributing factors to forming an athletic identity. The end of an athletic career is often viewed as a loss of identity by many athletes. There are many stages to the transition into retirement. Different studies identify different numbers of stages and group them differently but there are strong, recurring stages prevalent throughout all of the literature.
The first stage in retirement is the feeling of loss and fragmentation. This is likely because of the end of their athletic identity and a breaking up of what they thought was themselves. Many high-level athletes spend a large number of hours training and it is found that the time training has a direct correlation with the strength of athletic identity. The end of an athletic career means lots of free time and the loss of athletic identity. In this stage, people often do not know who they are or what they should do with their time.
The next stage is the loss of the self-disciplined body. Because athletes no longer are spending many hours practicing and burning calories it is hard to balance intake and maintain the motivation to continue to keep healthy. This can lead to the end of one's physical athletic identity.
The third stage is clinging to one’s past glory. People want to remember when they were successful, fit, and accomplished. They cling to the past because that is what the main pillar of their identity was rooted in and they don’t quite know who they are outside of athletics.
The final stage is reestablishing a person’s identity and role outside of athletics. They must find a new purpose and role in life.
Retirement is a life-altering event. One will lose their normal routine, identity, and even relationships. It is a gradual process moving on from athletics when one’s identity is deeply rooted in being an athlete.