This conceptual paper proposes alternative frameworks for understanding the transition of athletes retiring from competitive sports.
Alternative frameworks may guide athlete retirement support; leaves open empirical validation versus prior models.
In an attempt to broaden research considerations pertaining to retirement from sport, this paper critically examines notions embedded in social gerontology and thanatology. Both perspectives are criticized for their narrowness of approach, and analysis suggests that neither may be applicable to the athlete who voluntarily or involuntarily leaves sport. Alternative notions which are derived from a data base of former female and male intercollegiate athletes are discussed. It is suggested that concepts of life-long development, role aptitude and anticipatory socialization might offer a more useful framework for future sport retirement research.
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Blinde et al. (1985) studied this question.
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