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Are career termination concerns only for athletes? A case study of the career termination of an elite female coach

Kentt�, G�ran; Mellalieu, Stephen; Roberts, Claire Marie

Authors

G�ran Kentt�

Stephen Mellalieu



Abstract

© 2016 Human Kinetics, Inc. This paper presents a case study of an elite female coach and her career termination from a 20+ year career following a critical life incident. A novel autobiographical approach was adopted whereby the participant undertook expressive writing to describe her experiences before, during, and following coaching an athlete at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Thematic analysis indicated seven phases related to the participant's experiences of the critical incident: Build up to the event, the event, the aftermath, recovery and reflection on the event, sampling of new avenues, enlightenment, and career rebirth. The findings reinforce the high demands placed upon elite coaches, the subsequent threats to physical and mental well-being, and the importance of having robust psychological skills and suitable social support to cope with these demands. Implications for preparing and supporting coaches for successful career transition are discussed.

Citation

Kenttä, G., Mellalieu, S., & Roberts, C. M. (2016). Are career termination concerns only for athletes? A case study of the career termination of an elite female coach. Sport Psychologist, 30(4), 314-326. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2015-0134

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 7, 2016
Publication Date Jan 1, 2016
Deposit Date Sep 8, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Sport Psychologist
Print ISSN 0888-4781
Electronic ISSN 1543-2793
Publisher Human Kinetics
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 30
Issue 4
Pages 314-326
DOI https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2015-0134
Keywords career termination, coaches, critical life incident, social support
expressive writing
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/904272
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2015-0134