A conceptual model of the athlete retirement decision-making process

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide new ways of understanding athletes’ retirement decision-making process, and its influences on the quality of career transition. Existing literature from both within sport career transition study area and outside the sport domain informing the development of a conceptual model which focuses on explaining the final stages of athletes’ sporting careers and retirement decision-making process. The model helps predict changes in athletes’ behaviours and psychological reactions through the process by providing explanation of: (a) what steps athletes go through during the final stages of their sporting careers; (b) potential influential factors for athletes’ retirement decision; (c) how athletes change their psychological reactions and behaviours towards their retirement; and (d) potential intervention strategies to assist athletes’ career transition out of sport process.