Transitioning Out of a Figure Skating Career in Finland : A Qualitative Study
Shephard, Saara (2021)
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021060714721
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021060714721
Tiivistelmä
In recent years there has been a growing interest in the implications of athletic career transitions and the post-career adjustment of athletes. The purpose of this thesis is to find out what kind of experiences Finnish figure and synchronized skaters have had in their transition processes, the support they had available to them, as well as the kind of support they wish to have had at the time.
The theoretical framework of this thesis was based on two concepts central to the study, these being athletic career transition models and athletic identity. The theoretical framework also depicts an overview of the career paths of competitive figure and synchronized skaters in Finland, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the demands placed on these athletes.
Based on the concepts studied in the theoretical framework, semi-structured interviews were chosen as the format for this qualitative study. Through the semi structured interviews, it was possible to understand and begin the analysis of, the individual experiences of the participants involved in the study. Interviews were conducted in February and March of 2021.
Twelve former Finnish figure and synchronized skaters participated in the study. They each had their own diverse reasons for transitioning out of their skating careers, and through interpretative phenomenological analysis of the interview transcripts, subordinate themes were collected, and where appropriate, connected into superordinate themes. As a result, a deeper understanding was found for how to support athletes in their transition processes and prepare them to be well-adjusted to post-career lives.
The results of the study indicated that the participants’ negative transition experiences were primarily caused by a perceived lack of support, ineffective coach-athlete relationships, a high athletic identity, and a lack of pre-retirement planning. Peer support and a plan for post-skating life were the most helpful in facilitating adjustment post-athletic career. In cases of crisis transition, sport psychologists played an important role in aiding the participants’ adjustment. The participants of the study wished to have received more support from their coaches and to have had access to a sport psychologist.
Based on these results, it is recommended that coaches receive more education on the topic of athletic career transitions, and that figure skaters in Finland be encouraged to pursue dual careers and social roles outside of sports. Additionally, the organization of peer support groups and alumni operation should be extended to more clubs. It would also be helpful to future transitioning skaters that access to sport psychologists be more easily available.
The theoretical framework of this thesis was based on two concepts central to the study, these being athletic career transition models and athletic identity. The theoretical framework also depicts an overview of the career paths of competitive figure and synchronized skaters in Finland, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the demands placed on these athletes.
Based on the concepts studied in the theoretical framework, semi-structured interviews were chosen as the format for this qualitative study. Through the semi structured interviews, it was possible to understand and begin the analysis of, the individual experiences of the participants involved in the study. Interviews were conducted in February and March of 2021.
Twelve former Finnish figure and synchronized skaters participated in the study. They each had their own diverse reasons for transitioning out of their skating careers, and through interpretative phenomenological analysis of the interview transcripts, subordinate themes were collected, and where appropriate, connected into superordinate themes. As a result, a deeper understanding was found for how to support athletes in their transition processes and prepare them to be well-adjusted to post-career lives.
The results of the study indicated that the participants’ negative transition experiences were primarily caused by a perceived lack of support, ineffective coach-athlete relationships, a high athletic identity, and a lack of pre-retirement planning. Peer support and a plan for post-skating life were the most helpful in facilitating adjustment post-athletic career. In cases of crisis transition, sport psychologists played an important role in aiding the participants’ adjustment. The participants of the study wished to have received more support from their coaches and to have had access to a sport psychologist.
Based on these results, it is recommended that coaches receive more education on the topic of athletic career transitions, and that figure skaters in Finland be encouraged to pursue dual careers and social roles outside of sports. Additionally, the organization of peer support groups and alumni operation should be extended to more clubs. It would also be helpful to future transitioning skaters that access to sport psychologists be more easily available.