The effect of SARS-COV-2 on senior college athletes’ retirement considerations

Abstract

ABSTRACT While there are studies that qualitatively examine athletes’ retirement experiences post retirement [e.g. Lavallee & Robinson, 2007. In pursuit of an identity: A qualitative exploration of retirement from women's artistic gymnastics. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 8(1), 119–141; Torregrosa et al., 2015. Olympic athletes back to retirement: A qualitative longitudinal study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 50–56; Tshube & Feltz, 2015. The relationship between dual-career and post-sport career transition among elite athletes in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 109–114; Warriner & Lavallee, 2008. The retirement experiences of elite female gymnasts: Self identity and the physical self. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 20(3), 301–317], a unique opportunity was presented during the COVID-19 pandemic to gather data from NCAA Division II baseball players who faced potential involuntary sport retirement at roughly the same time for the same reason, thus eliminating multiple variables that are common in athlete retirement research. This study aimed to explore the experiences of senior college athletes using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Data analysis revealed that while the college athletes reported experiencing negative cognitive and emotional responses, they also identified positive aspects of this unexpected situation, thought of others during this unprecedented time, and remained future-oriented. Although there is still more to learn about the impact of sudden sport retirement on athletes, this exploration offered optimism that some athletes can be surprisingly resilient when faced with unexpected adversity at the end of their athletic careers.