"If I Can’t Do It my Way, It Doesn’t Make Any Sense Anymore!" – Bringing Meaning into Working with Sport Clients in Transitions

Abstract

Transitions represent prototypical phases when athletes may question the meaning of their sport and life. While for some, the profound questioning can help commit more consciously to chosen career and life projects, it can turn into a crisis of meaning for others. However, to date, sport psychology has not yet addressed the concept of meaning extensively. In this article, I aim to promote the integration of meaning-based transition interventions through introducing theoretical perspectives on meaning in life and sport, and through sharing my own experiences in my roles as former athlete and current scientist practitioner. Key lessons are derived as recommendations to guide practitioners when using meaning to complement their work with sport clients in transitions.