Making small changes within transition periods can result in big wins for your athletes and organisation. A transition represents a period of change for an athlete which results in a new set of demands for them to manage. By this definition and our experiences, we see that transitions are ever-present in athletes lives and that we have a duty of care to navigate these alongside the athletes within our care. Athletes final transition of retirement commonly dominates the narrative, although important, there is a need to broaden our scope and practice. This article identifies some moments in an athlete’s life that can present challenges.
Studying is a key element within athlete's personal and professional development. How can you support your athletes to strike a balance between training and learning? With the right balance, support and guidance, sports and studies can be a winning combination.
Welsh programmes have athletes that are unemployed, juggling work and sport, and those that receive national lottery funding on them – all of which present different challenges relating to finance. Have you considered your offer to athletes that are experiencing transitions relating to finance? Being pro-active and implementing effective strategies can support you with this.
From the moment an athlete first engages in a sport until the final time they compete they will experience multi-faceted environmental transitions. Supporting athletes throughout these transitions will enhance athlete retention and satisfaction.
The performance lifestyle team at Sport Wales has a desire to support organisations to implement strategies to aid athlete transitions. We would also love to learn how your organisation currently supports athletes through different transitional periods.
We have a suite of infographics that are available to support you in raising awareness of challenges athletes face and also importantly some ideas if how you can support them. If you’d like access to these resources and would like to find out more about Sport Wales’ Performance Lifestyle support, please contact:
Zoe Eaton Performance Lifestyle Lead zoe.eaton@sport.wales or Rosie Williams Performance Lifestyle Practitioner rosie.williams@sport.wales