Athletes, just like everyone else, often struggle with the transition into retirement. It is difficult for them to identify themselves outside of the sport that they have devoted most of their lives to and this shift can be even harder for elite and professional athletes.
In a video on her social media page, Alex Morgan announced her retirement from women’s soccer on Thursday. The USWNT revolutionary is widely considered one of the most important players in women’s sports history and her retirement marks the end of an era for the program.
Lorenzo Carter, a longtime defensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans, has decided to hang up his cleats at 29 years old. The former third-round pick racked up 21.5 sacks in his career and will now join the Buffalo Bills as an assistant.
After 12 seasons in the NFL, New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu is calling it quits. Known for his toughness and blond patch in his hair, the LSU Tiger was a Heisman Trophy finalist and was compared to a honey badger (a carnivorous mammal known to fight off much larger predators) throughout his career.
Despite the fact that many athletes retire at an early age, their transition to life after sport can be difficult. According to research done by Dr Cavallerio, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, female gymnasts’ transition experiences fell into three narratives: Entangled, Going forward and Making sense. This study highlights that it is important for sport organisations to develop strategies for their athletes to prepare them for retirement.
About the Author
