Key result
Qualitative analysis of 184 retired collegiate athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic identified four key themes of coping and support, emphasizing the crucial role of coaches and athletic departments.
Why the study?
Graduating and retiring from sport poses transitional stressors heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, but few studies have extensively examined retired collegiate athletes during this period.
Observational (n=184)
Retired collegiate athletes relied on social support and new routines to cope with the transition out of sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for enhanced support structures from athletic departments.
May inform athletic department policies for retiring athletes; extends qualitative literature but leaves open intervention effects.
Graduating from college and retiring from sport can be particularly challenging even in the best of times, and the COVID-19 pandemic heightened transitional stressors for many athletes. Despite research on elite athletes’ general coping during this time, few studies have extensively examined retired collegiate athletes during the pandemic. Our study examined how 184 retired collegiate athletes (154 women) coped and received support in August/September 2020, four months after graduation and retirement. Using reflexive thematic analysis within a constructionist framework, we identified four key themes: (a) The pandemic affected me, (b) I could not have done it alone, (c) New routines, acceptance, and balance, and (d) Finding a new focus. These themes align with existing literature on retired athletes but emphasize the crucial roles of coaches and athletic departments in supporting athletes during challenging life transitions, such as retirement from sport. Our findings suggest that sport systems must enhance support structures to help athletes successfully navigate their post-sport lives.
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Pryor et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Retired collegiate athletes (n=184). COVID-19 pandemic and retirement from sport was evaluated on Coping and support themes. Qualitative analysis of 184 retired collegiate athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic identified four key themes of coping and support, emphasizing the crucial role of coaches and athletic departments.
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