Athletic Identity and Personal Adjustment of Female Athletes after Retirement: A Case Study of National Basketball Team of Belarus

Abstract

The present work is a case study research made with the members of womans National basketball team of Belarus. The aim was to analyze the influence of athletic identity on athletes on the retirement process from professional sport. To identify the most common difficulties athletes deal with after they retire, as well as the needs of the athletes that help in solving them.

The perspectives of ten members of the womans National basketball team were examined. Participants were divided into two groups: five active athletes on the verge of their sports career and five retired athletes. The data was obtained through semi-structured interviews. The reason for two groups was to find how the pre-retiring athletes view the retirement and to compare it to the reality (results of retired athletes). Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) was used to identify the level of athletic identity of the participants before the interviews.

The results showed that the main problem of the retirement from sport is the career self-determination. Athletes of both groups struggled with identifying the future professional field. Psychological aspect prevailed in retired athletes. Currently, active athletes showed a moderate level of emotional disbalance. Health problems, such as the negative influence of sports injuries and body composition were the second most considerable issue for the retired athletes. Financial situation after the retirement was a concern for the participants of both groups.

It is important for the athletes to be aware of challenges of the sports retirement, as well as for the practitioners for helping the athletes to make the transition smoother.

Keywords: Athletic Identity, retirement from sport, challenges, adjustment