Who Am I Without My Sport?: Navigating Identity and Self-Esteem in Retired College Athletes

Work Type

Poster

Abstract

The highly competitive nature and time commitment of a Division I sport contributes to the athletic identity and can heavily influence an athlete’s self-esteem. Athletic identity (AI) is the degree to which an athlete incorporates their sport into their sense of self. At elite levels of sport, it is common for an athlete to develop a strong AI – due to the time and effort spent. In addition, self-esteem (SE) is often derived from sport performance and achievement. During this research, articles often related SE to body image because many sports emphasize certain physiques in order to have success (gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, XC, T&F, figure skating). The development of AI and SE can be beneficial during sport because it encourages motivation, discipline, and belonging – but can be detrimental when sport is over. When an athlete’s career is over , there is a change in social, occupational, and physical changes. So, ‘How does AI and SE change when Division I athletes retire, and how does it affect the quality of transition?’ From the literature review, it was found that higher AI translates to a more difficult transition out of sport, retirement was often linked to declines in psychological well-being, the loss of structure and social support was a major challenge, and voluntary/involuntary retirement mattered. There were some positives though → athletes tolerated the transition better when they had hobbies, careers lined up, went into coaching, or went into a line of work related to their sport. Additionally, physical activity post-retirement was linked to higher self-esteem, better mental health, and improved well being.

Publication Date

5-17-2026

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