An in-depth appraisal of career termination experiences in professional cricket

Roberts, Claire Marie; Mullen, Richard; Evans, Lynne; Hall, Ross

Abstract

© 2014 Taylor & Francis. Abstract: This qualitative study explored the career termination experiences of 9 male, retired professional cricketers between the ages of 28 and 40 (mean value34, s=4.65 m). The participants took part in retrospective, semi-structured interviews. Data from the interviews were inductively content analysed within three transition phases of the retirement process: reasons for retirement, factors affecting adaptation and reactions to retirement. The reasons for retirement were multicausal with the majority of the participants highlighting contractual pressures and a lack of communication as important precursors to retirement. Three main themes accounted for the factors affecting adaptation: a limited pursuit of other interests, developmental experiences and coping strategies. In terms of reactions to retirement, all of the participants reflected negatively on the termination of their career, with a sense of loss and resentment characterising the post-retirement period. The findings illustrated the sport-specific nature of career termination in professional cricket and added further support to the emerging consensus that the distinction between voluntary and involuntary retirement is, at best, unclear.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 1, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jan 2, 2015
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Sep 8, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Sports Sciences
• Print ISSN: 0264-0414
• Electronic ISSN: 1466-447X
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 935-944
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.977936
• Keywords: retirement, cricket, transitions, antecedents, life satisfaction
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/839760
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.977936
• Contract Date: Sep 8, 2017