University of Lethbridge Research Repository

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Faculty Research and Publications Bernes, Kerry

2009

Life After Sport: Athletic Career

Transition and Transferable Skills

Bernes, Kerry B.

McKnight, K. M., Bernes, K. B., Gunn, T., Chorney, D., Orr, D. T., & Bardick, A. D. (2009). Life
After Sport: Athletic Career Transition and Transferable Skills. Journal of Excellence, 13, 63-77. http://www.zoneofexcell
http://hdl.handle.net/10133/1175
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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 63

Life After Sport:

Athletic Career Transition and Transferable Skills
Kerbi McKnight, Kerry Bernes, Thelma Gunn, David Chorney, David Orr and Angela
Bardick, Canada

Kerbi McKnight is a graduate student in counselling psychology at the University of Lethbridge.

Her research interests are athletic career transition and transferable skills.
Email: [email protected]

Dr. Kerry Bernes is a registered psychologist and an Associate Professor at the University of
Lethbridge. His research interests are career development, and school counseling interventions.

Dr. Thelma Gunn is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of

Lethbridge. Her main research interests include learning, information processing, critical
thinking and text processing.

Dr. David Chorney is an Assistant Professor at the University of Lethbridge. His research
interests are health and wellness education and gender issues in physical education.

David Orr is a graduate student in counseling psychology at the University of Lethbridge. His
research interests are risk assessment and career counseling.

Angela Bardick is a registered psychologist. Her research interests are eating disorders, at-risk
youth, and career counseling.

Abstract
Athletes transitioning out of sport are faced with many obstacles. Well-trained counselors have
the appropriate skills to assist athletes through athletic career transition. An examination of the
literature focused on career retirement and transferable skills lead to the development of
intervention recommendations for athletes transitioning out of sport. Treatment
recommendations include psycho-educational and cognitive behavioural interventions that focus
on the emotions associated with transitioning from sport as well as an emphasis on transferable
skills.

Life After Sport: Athletic Career event is equated with the occupational re-
Transition and Transferable Skills tirement of older adults, and there is a mis-
Career retirement of athletes is an important conception that only a small number of
watershed change that is often overlooked. individuals who compete in elite and profes-
Athletic retirement or transition is inevitable sional sport are likely to be affected by this
for all athletes (Zaichkowsky, Kane, Blann, transition.
& Hawkins, 1993). Baillie and Danish
(1992) stated that athletic retirement has Athletic career retirement is very different
been disregarded because this transitional from occupational retirement. The first ma-
jor difference is that athletes typically start

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 64

and finish their athletic careers at a rela- Transferable skills are general skills that are
tively young age (Baillie, 1993; Blinde & context and content free (Wiant, 1977). In
Greendorfer, 1985). At approximately the athletics, transferable skills are those ac-
same time that athletes are ending high-level quired through sport that can be applied to
competitive sport, their peers are often be- other areas of an athlete’s life and to other
ginning careers in other non-sporting do- non-sport careers (Mayocchi & Hanrahan,
mains, getting married, and having children. 2000). An example of a transferable skill is
These comparative situations may add to the tenacity. Hockey players learn tenacity and
already stressful feelings inherent in athletic demonstrate hard work on and off the ice,
retirement. which they can use in a new career in busi-
ness when they retire from sport to learn
A second major difference is that many in- domain-specific skills such as successful
dividuals who undergo career retirement do negotiating and proper ways to manage em-
not experience the same disruption to their ployees. Danish, Petitpas, and Hale (1993)
identity as do athletes (Pearson & Petitpas, provided an example of life skills or trans-
1990). Because athletes spend much of their ferable skills that can be applied across set-
time dedicated to their sport at an early age, tings, including organizational skills,
this creates a situation in which time has not adaptability/flexibility, dedication and per-
been allocated to acquiring interests in other severance, patience, self-motivation, and the
areas. This may result in a disruption to abilities associated with performing under
normal developmental events such as iden- pressure, meeting challenges/deadlines, and
tity development, and young athletes may setting and attaining goals (Danish et al.,
form a foreclosed identity (Brewer, Van 1993).
Raalte, & Linder, 1993; Pearson & Petitpas,
1990). As suggested by Heyman and Ander- Therefore, athletic transferable skills can be
sen (1998), young athletes obtain a fore- defined as abstract skills learned in the
closed identity when they identify exclu- sporting environment that are applicable to
sively with the role of athlete. other facets of life or to another career
(Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 2000). Intuitively,
Consequently, when athletes retire from athletes view learning transferable skills as
sport, they may feel loss and become disillu- critical to adjusting to retirement from sport.
sioned (Pearson & Petitpas, 1990). Athletes Sinclair and Orlick (1993) reported that
often fail to give credit to the lessons and athletes are interested in learning how to
skills acquired through their sporting career. transfer their mental skills to another career.
This may result from a tunnelled vision and Swain (1991) stated that athletes become
foreclosed identity in which athletes are in- concerned with the transferability of their
capable of seeing how the same skills that skills and knowledge when they think about
made them successful in sport will make retirement from sport. Research has shown
them successful in other career pathways that athletes respond positively to learning
(Petitpas, Danish, McKelvain, & Murphy, about how specific skills from sport transfer
1992). Retirement from sport needs to be to other non-sport areas of their lives (Petit-
considered within the context of other vari- pas et al., 1992). This type of research is im-
ables and factors that are apparent in life portant because it outlines the importance of
(Coakley, 1983). transferable skills for transitioning athletes.

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 65

Athletic Career Transitions a) anticipatory socialization,

In a review of the literature on athletes’ ca- b) identity and self-esteem,
reer retirement, Crook and Robertson (1991) c) personal management skills,
concluded that the adjustment varies de- d) social support systems, and
pending on the individual. In considering the e) voluntary versus involuntary retirement.
spectrum of career retirement experiences
discussed in the literature, it is important to Each of these factors will next be summa-
understand the level of involvement of the rized.
athletes and the time frame being studied in
relation to the retirement, as they can have Anticipatory socialization.
very different results (Crook & Robertson, Anticipatory socialization is the proactive
1991). When researchers studied the retire- response of preparing for retirement before
ment of professional and elite-level amateur it happens (Crook & Robertson, 1991). The
athletes immediately after retirement, their lack of attention to preparing for life after
results suggested that retirement from sport sports can negatively affect athletes’ ability
is traumatic and requires an adjustment to adjust (Blinde & Greendorfer, 1985;
process (Botterill, 1981; Broom, 1981; Crook & Robertson, 1991). Kerr and Dacy-
Haerle, 1975; Hill & Lowe, 1974; Lerch, shyn (2000) stated that most of the athletes
1982; McLaughlin, 1981; McPherson, 1980; in their study experienced a stage of exis-
Mihovilovic, 1968; Orlick, 1980; tential questioning after retirement because
Rosenberg, 1979, 1981, 1982; Svoboda & they had not taken the time to prepare for
Vanek, 1981; Werthner & Orlick, 1986). In retirement and that, without sport, these
contrast, researchers who examined high athletes were left asking, “What is next?”
school and college athlete retirement retro- Some athletes do not think about retirement
spectively supported the view that retire- during active involvement in competitive
ment from sport does not create trauma or sport because they consider it defeating and
require adjustment (Blinde & Greendorfer, admitting to failure (McLaughlin, 1981),
1985; Greendorfer & Blinde, 1985; Kleiber, whereas athletes who pre-plan for retirement
Greendorfer, Blinde, & Samdahl, 1987; Otto find the transition out of sport less disrup-
& Alwin, 1977; Phillips & Schaffer, 1971; tive. They have a new passion and challenge
Sands, 1978; Snyder & Barber, 1979). This into which they can channel their energy
may be due to the fact that these athletes (Werthner & Orlick, 1986). Allison and
have simultaneously pursued other interests Meyer (1988) reported that many of the fe-
and academic training. Thus the level of the male tennis professionals that they inter-
athletes involved and the time frame of the viewed considered retirement an opportunity
study are important considerations (Crook & to regain more traditional societal roles and
Robertson, 1991). lifestyles. A positive factor in adjustment is
having other interests and participating in
The literature does not clearly define or di- other activities after retirement. This pro-
rectly measure factors related to athletic ca- vides support for the importance of encour-
reer transition, but it is still possible to out- aging athletes to maintain balance in their
line several factors that are related to suc- life by pursuing other interests and activities
cessful career transition (Crook & while engaging in competitive sports (Sin-
Robertson, 1991). Crook and Robertson clair & Orlick, 1993).
outlined the following five factors as af-
fecting career transition:

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 66

Identity and self-esteem. Personal management skills.

Problems in retirement are often associated Having good personal management skills is
with a loss of identity and diminished self- crucial for successful career transition. Ath-
esteem (Botterill, 1981). Many athletes end letes may not be prepared for the transition
up dependent on sport for identity and gauge into athletic retirement because they are de-
their self-worth by their ability as an athlete pendent on others for such factors as per-
(Botterill, 1981). When athletes’ self-esteem sonal management (Botterill, 1981). They
and identity are tied to sport, they often ex- often have little choice in their training and
perience negative transition and are con- the competitions in which they participate
fused about their identities (Crook & and thus depend on their coaches for deci-
Robertson, 1991). Many athletes do not feel sion making. Athletes might therefore lack
that they have accomplished everything that the skills in self-management that they need
they had set out to achieve in the sport if to make alternate career decisions (Crook &
they are plagued by injury or are cut from Robertson, 1991).
teams and forced to end their careers. Such
events often results in a difficult transitions The coaching staff can both teach athletes
(Werthner & Orlick, 1986). Many of the fe- personal management skills as well as sup-
male gymnasts whom Kerr and Dacyshyn port them. Werthner and Orlick (1986) re-
(2000) interviewed were faced with a loss of ported that coaching has an effect on the
identity when they retired. Athletes who no transition of athletes. A positive relationship
longer feel that they can compete at the with the coach has a positive effect on tran-
same skill level and intensity may perceive sition, allowing the athlete to reach their
it as a breakdown in their ability, which may goals and enjoy their sporting experience.
greatly impact their self-perceptions (Sin- However, a negative relationship with the
clair & Orlick, 1993). coach may force athletes to leave the sport
sooner than intended, which can lead to a
The degree to which athletes consider alter- difficult transition. Many athletes feel that
native role possibilities is a strong indicator the sport associations are responsible for
of successful transition out of sport (Blinde their coaching problems (Werthner & Or-
& Greendorfer, 1985). The athletic status of lick, 1986). Specifically, they reported feel-
interscholastic athletes is often less promi- ings of being used (and abused) by the
nent in the social environment, and their system in terms of funding or being cut off
transition out of competitive sport requires because of their age, and they felt forced
less adjustment. Furthermore, their memo- into retirement because of the politics sur-
ries of their sporting experience will be less rounding the sport organizations (Werthner
likely to hinder their future growth and de- & Orlick, 1986). Although the system looks
velopment (Coakley, 1983). A sense of ac- after athletes while they compete, they often
complishment at having reached the goals offer little support to the athletes during the
that they set out for themselves in the sport- retirement process. Support systems, if
ing area allows for an easier transition as the available, often just help with employment
athlete feels that their athletic experience and fail to recognize the need for emotional
was positive, and that they are ready to support (Crook & Robertson, 1991).
tackle new challenges (Sinclair & Orlick,
1993; Werthner & Orlick, 1986).

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 67

Social support systems. If a decision to retire is prompted by prob-

The support of family and friends can ease lems with a coach, retirement might be the
the degree of disruption in the transition out only solution to a situation that is no longer
of sport as emotional support helps the ath- tolerable (Kerr & Dacyshyn, 2000). Politics
letes to adjust to the transition (Werthner & and the sport association often have an ef-
Orlick, 1986). Athletes who experience a fect on athletes’ transition (Werthner & Or-
negative transition often cite the loss of a lick, 1986). Finances are crucial in the
support system when most of their friends transition because funding cuts by sport or-
actively continue with sport (Mihovilovic, ganizations may lead to retirement if the
1968). They believe that support from for- athlete no longer receives the funds neces-
mer athletes, family, and sport helps them to sary to continue training (Werthner &
adjust to athletic retirement (Botterill, 1981). Orlick, 1986).
In addition to a lack of access to old support
systems, they may not have the ability to Coakley (1983) stated that voluntary retire-
create a new support system, which can cre- ment can lead to a positive transition and
ate feelings of isolation (McLaughlin, 1981). that leaving interscholastic and amateur
However, Haerle (1975) stated that while sport is regarded as part of normal develop-
former major league baseball players missed ment. However, Kerr and Dacyshyn (2000)
the contact with their teammates, this did not warned that the distinction between what
hinder their search for jobs and adjustment constitutes “voluntary” and “involuntary” is
to life after sport. sometimes blurred if athletes decide to retire
when they are faced with impossible situa-
Voluntary versus involuntary retirement tions. Retirement is actually voluntary only
The literature suggests that problems arise when an athlete has another choice of action.
when career transition is involuntary. Mi-
hovilovic (1968) contends that athletes may As can be seen by the number of factors that
have no control over their retirement be- affect athletic retirement, it may be per-
cause of injury, being cut, conflict with ceived as either a positive or negative ex-
management, or family reasons. Injuries and perience. A key variable to make this
health problems often play a negative role in transition positive is to focus on transferable
the career transition of athletes. Those who skills.
face injury are often unable to control when
and how the retirement process transpires Transferable Skills and Successful Career
(Werthner & Orlick, 1986), and career-end- Transition
ing injuries often do not allow athletes to Athletes that have a successful transition are
accomplish their goals and plans for life out- able to capitalize on transferable skills
side of sport. Athletes who are involved in (Blinde & Greendorfer, 1985). When ath-
involuntary retirement are often more resis- letes experience a negative transition from
tant and less prepared than are those who sport, they may be unable to see how the
retire voluntarily (McPherson, 1980). When skills learned in sport will transfer to another
athletes have alternative skills, they may be career. It is inevitable that athletes will face
more likely to voluntarily leave sport and career transition, but taking a more proactive
are less likely to experience adjustment approach to career transition such as focus-
problems (Blinde & Greendorfer, 1985). ing on the importance of transferable skills
may make the transition more successful
(Danish et al., 1993). Athletes, regardless of

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 68

competition level, will have learned very Implications for Counselors

valuable lessons through sport that will be There has been very little research done to
valuable in other settings. When athletes re- date that addresses effective treatment for
alize they already have the skills and char- athletes transitioning out of sport. Currently,
acteristics to make them successful in non- there are significant organizational obstacles
athletic areas, they become empowered (Pe- to the proper treatment of career transition
titpas & Schwartz, 1989; Petitpas et al., difficulties for athletes (Taylor & Ogilvie,
1992). For example, athletes often have to 1998). Many athletes have limited contact
deal with opposition while they strive for with qualified sport psychologists, which is
success in sport, and this ability to overcome problematic for athletes trying to access pro-
opposition, or “weather the storm”, can be fessional help when transitioning out of
an important transferable skill. When ath- sport (Taylor & Ogilvie). Alternatively,
letes lack the support to transfer their skills athletes may not perceive counseling as an
or overcome obstacles, the counseling pro- important component of their career transi-
fession may provide much needed support. tion. For instance, Sinclair and Orlick’s
(1993) research outlined that former world-
Awareness of transferable skills class amateur athletes indicated that they did
One of the main barriers to using transfer- not view individualized counseling to be a
able skills may be that athletes are simply helpful coping strategy when transitioning
not aware of them (Danish et al., 1993). In- out of sport. Improving athletes’ access to
creasing athletes’ awareness of their ability competent counselors and building a strong
to transfer skills from sport to other areas of therapeutic relationship are the essential first
their life may be enough to affect adjustment steps.
to career transition (Mayocchi & Hanrahan,
2000). When athletes are successful in sport, General Goals
their focus may become so narrow that they The general goals for treatment, in relation
do not see how their skills may also be ef- to athletes transitioning out of sport, are to
fective in a non-sporting environment. create a more successful positive transition
Teaching athletes about skill transfer in- and to increase awareness of transferable
creases their confidence in their own ability skills in order to make effective life changes.
to start a new career and may improve their Two primary factors may aid in this endeav-
ability to use their skills in different settings our: a) emotional well-being and b) use of
(Petitpas et al., 1992). Athletes may find that transferable skills. Counseling professionals
increasing awareness of their skills may help can play a key role in helping to create suc-
improve their athletic career by increasing cessful transitions for athletes. Counselors
their understanding of the role certain skills and counseling interventions can assist
play in athletic performance (Mayocchi & athletes as they cope with the emotional im-
Hanrahan, 2000). Athletes who have an in- pact of transitioning (Danish, Petitpas &
creased understanding of the skills they have Hale, 1992).
acquired through sport will be better able to
explain these skills to future employers and It is important for athletes to acquire knowl-
outline how these skills will be useful in a edge about their transferable skills, but they
non-athletic career (Mayocchi & Hanrahan). must also believe they are competent. Indi-
viduals often fear situations if they do not
believe that their coping skills are adequate
(Bandura, 1977). However, if individuals

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 69

believe that their coping skills are adequate, likely to become involved in an activity if
they will address the situation with greater they believe they have the necessary skills to
confidence (Bandura). In the case of ath- positively manage the demands of the situa-
letes, when they exhibit high self-efficacy, tion (Bandura, 1977). Athletes may be more
transition is more likely to be successful willing to transfer skills into other settings if
(Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 1997). Counselors they have a high self-efficacy. Conversely,
may assist athletes in exploring their per- they may not attempt to transfer their skills
ceived competency through cognitive be- if they are not certain of their abilities
havioural interventions. (Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 2000). Counselors
need to be aware of this to ensure they begin
Increasing Transfer For Athletes work with athletes from a perceptual posi-
Athletes retiring from sport need to be aware tion of strength by emphasizing athletes’
of how their skills may be transferred to strengths, self efficacy, and ability to transi-
other settings. In order for athletes to trans- tion successfully.
fer skills, they must understand how their
skills and qualities may be valuable in areas In-depth Treatment Plan
other than sport. Danish et al. (1992) outline Research has suggested that the competition
the following six factors as being important level, and/or age of the athletes transitioning
for effective skill transfer: can influence the type of intervention that is
most appropriate. Career research has often
1. understanding how one’s skills may be concluded that students go to their parents
valuable in other areas first for career related issues. This suggests
2. believing that one’s skills are valuable that career counseling should focus upon
3. understanding how one’s skills may be providing parents with the necessary skills
useful in contexts other than sport to help their children through career
4. understanding how feelings of anxiety counseling issues (Authors, 2004; Authors,
may accompany transition, and overcoming in-press; Authors, 2005). Student athletes
this anxiety may also be better supported through career
5. developing a new identity transition by their parents. The counselor
6. developing appropriate social supports. might, in fact, actually help young athletes
by increasing parental awareness of
Athletes have many opportunities to practice transferable skills. The following in-depth
applying their skills outside of the sporting treatment plan focuses on elite or national
environment. Therefore, it is important for team athletes in which case targeting their
other individuals in athletes’ lives (e.g., par- parents may not be as effective. For these
ents, coaches, teammates, peers, and athletes, a more individualized counseling
counselors) to encourage them to use their treatment plan will be discussed.
skills in other settings (Danish et al., 1992).
Step 1: Engagement in Counseling
Self-efficacy The main goal of this intervention is to cre-
Research has shown that an individual’s ate a strong therapeutic alliance. Through
self-efficacy affects one’s ability to transfer the development of a strong therapeutic re-
skills (Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 1997). Many lationship, athletes can explore the connec-
individuals fear circumstances where they tion between their core beliefs and their
believe that the situation will exceed their various identities, and thus realize that the
coping skills. However, individuals are more core meaning they derived from athletics

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 70

can also exist in their future endeavours. By Core meaning.

connecting the stability of their core beliefs The counselor helps the athlete to examine
to their changing identity when transitioning overall themes from the discussion about
out of sport, athletes are empowered to make important equipment to develop metaphors
life changes while maintaining their core about identity and transferable skills. For
beliefs. example, the use of specific footwear in
one’s sport may be linked to stability, while
This intervention is based on examining the the use of a specific uniform may be linked
relationship between general skills learned to identity. Other themes might include
in sport and general skills appropriate for dedication, problem solving, tenacity, or
changing careers. The core of this transition teamwork. The combination of these themes
must ensure that athletes derive personal forms the athletes’ core meaning, and may
meaning from their non-sporting career as be used to develop important metaphors for
they did from their sporting career. The transition.
counselor’s role is to encourage the athlete
to move from sport-skill thinking toward Employable identity.
career-skill thinking through the use of tan- Once general sport skills have been identi-
gible symbols in the athlete’s own “equip- fied, and core meaning determined, the
ment bag”. In doing so, the athlete develops counselor introduces the concept of general
a connection between the relative unfamili- career skills to the athlete. To help make the
arity of his or her future, and the familiarity connection between the athlete’s general
of his or her athletic equipment. These steps athletic skills, and general career skills, the
form the acronym ACE, which stands for counselor encourages the athlete to reassign
Athletic identity, Core meaning, and Em- career related meanings to his or her athletic
ployable identity. The creativity of the equipment. The items in the bag take on a
counselor makes the process more effective, new identity in terms of the athlete’s career
as creativity is useful in helping athletes aspirations, and the bag containing the items
generate a variety of ways to deal with a metaphorically represents the individual in
situation (Delaney & Eisenberg, 1978). that he or she contains the set of transfer-
able, general skills. The tangibles then serve
Athletic identity as an anchor for the athlete throughout ther-
An athlete’s identity is most often observed apy, and a reminder that core meanings exist
in terms of the equipment associated with inside them, and can appear as various skills
the sport (e.g., footwear, safety equipment, depending on their context throughout life.
uniform). Before initiating this intervention,
the athlete will have been asked to bring an Expected results.
athletic equipment bag filled with a selection While the distal goal of counseling retiring
of his or her athletic equipment to the athletes is to ensure successful transition to
counseling session. The counselor then other activities, the proximal goal of this in-
invites the athlete to speak about the tervention is to inspire the athlete’s interest
importance of each of the items. The and creativity on which to base the remain-
counselor’s initial interest in the athlete and ing sessions. Increasing the athletes’ aware-
his or her equipment not only helps build a ness of sports general skills (core meaning)
therapeutic alliance, but also engages the that are useable across various life situations
athlete in discussion about something both is very important. During counseling, ath-
tangible and meaningful to the athlete. letes will gain confidence and competence in

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 71

both solving future dilemmas in their life as counselor can begin to utilize psycho-edu-
well as using their sports general skills cational interventions and cognitive behav-
across many domains. ioural interventions.

Step 2: Emotionality Step 3: Knowledge of Transferable Skills

Athletes that enter into career transition need Athletes would benefit from counselors
to explore the emotions associated with using psycho-educational interventions that
making a major life change. Athletes are increase their knowledge of transferable
often taught to move past their emotions in skills. The research outlines that it is benefi-
order to be successful in sport. However, cial to teach athletes about transferable skills
when making a transition out of sport, it is (Petitpas, et al., 1992). As Danish et al.,
important for athletes to learn to be aware of (1992) outlines, the first step in successful
and acknowledge their emotions. The level skill transfer is to create an understanding
of anxiety that is likely to accompany the that individuals actually have skills that are
transition can affect the success of the tran- transferable. Athletes must come to under-
sition. This fear can lead to a lack of confi- stand that they have qualities that are valu-
dence which creates difficulty when able in other areas. If athletes lack this
transferring skills (Danish et al., 1992). knowledge, the qualities they possess will
Athletes may have an identity that is so not be transferable (Danish et al., 1992). It is
closely tied to sport that they lack interest in important for individuals to recognize the
exploring non-sporting options, or they lack usefulness of their skills learned, or knowl-
the confidence to use the skills to be suc- edge gained as it relates to other life con-
cessful in other settings (Danish et al., texts. George Reed was a former member of
1992). Therefore, exposure-based therapy the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and in 1977
that focuses on increasing awareness and became a sales consultant at McKay Pontiac
tolerance of emotions associated with career Buick GMC in Calgary, Alberta. Reed was
transition would be beneficial. able to adjust to athletic retirement with
relative ease because he was aware that the
Exposure-based therapy can be useful to skills and abilities that he had developed in
help athletes address feared stimuli. Expo- football were equally valuable in the busi-
sure-based therapy may be helpful if an ness environment (Lau, 2003). After athletes
athlete perceives career transition as trau- have gained an increased knowledge of the
matic and has subsequently been avoiding importance of transferable skills, the next
situations he/she perceives as fearful. In logical step is to increase their awareness of
vivo (real life) exposure techniques should their own transferable skills.
be implemented when possible as they are
more likely to produce more rapid results Step 4: Awareness of Transferable Skills
and foster greater generalization than imagi- The next stage in successful skill transfer
nal exposure (Cormer & Nurius, 2003). and successful transition is to address the
Through exposure-based therapy, the athlete perception that athletes have of their trans-
is able to learn how to cope with the height- ferable skills. When athletes believe that the
ened emotional response associated with un- qualities acquired in sport are in fact skills,
comfortable situations (Cormer & Nurius, then they can begin the transfer process
2003). Once athletes are better able to un- (Danish et al., 1992). Athletes who apply
derstand and effectively address their emo- transferable skills report better adjustment in
tions associated with career transition, the career retirement (Petitpas et al., 1992).

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 72

There are many examples of athletes recog- perfectionistic thinking, and filtering
nizing that they have skills that will transfer (Cormier & Nurius, 2003). Black and white
outside of athletics. According to James F. thinking occurs if athletes believe that they
Molloy, a professor at Northeastern Univer- are ‘nothing’ without their sport or that their
sity’s College of Business Administration, it skills are ‘useless’ if they are no longer in-
is no coincidence that successful athletes volved in sport. Perfectionistic thinking oc-
often turn into successful entrepreneurs curs if an athlete expects to be immediately
(Cavanaugh, 1989). Molloy outlines that the successful at a career outside of sport. Fil-
athletes and entrepreneurs share similar tering occurs if athletes become overly fo-
characteristics; “To become a star athlete cused on the negative aspects of their
you need drive and energy and you have to transition and forget to include the positive
be a risk-taker” (Cavanaugh, p. 23). aspects. To effectively challenge such dis-
tortions, counselors can utilize cognitive
Athletes must also understand how other behavioural therapy to help athletes monitor
contexts may be similar to the sport in which and challenge their negative thinking pat-
their transferable skills have been learned terns and focus on their positive assets. As
(Danish et al., 1992). It becomes important well, teaching athletes strategies like goal
for counselors to help athletes identify what setting and action planning may provide the
physical and psychological skills acquired help needed to overcome the barriers to skill
through sport can be used in other settings transfer (Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 2000).
(Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 2000).
Step Six: Developing a Support Network
Step 5: Perceived Competency Transitioning athletes may feel isolated from
An individual’s perceived competency af- their former social support network. For
fects the use of transferable skills (Mayocchi many athletes, a team provides their social
& Hanrahan, 2000). When individuals are support and is comprised of friends. It then
not aware of, or do not value the skills they becomes the role of the counselor to help
have developed and understand when these transitioning athletes reconnect or create
skills maybe useful in different settings new support networks. When this support
(Yelon, 1992), then successful skill transfer network is missing, counselors need to en-
is unlikely (Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 2000). gage athletes in acquiring a support system
Athletes must believe they are competent in outside of sport. Athletes are often used to
order for them to effectively use their trans- being involved in a support system in which
ferable skills. Through counseling, athletes athletes push each other in a supportive en-
will gain the belief that they have the com- vironment. This same type of network needs
petency to effectively engage in life after to be created outside of sport. Transitioning
sport. When athletes feel they have a high athletes benefit a great deal from ongoing
self-efficacy, and feel that they are capable, social support. When athletes lack the
the result may be a successful transition needed support to develop their use of skills
(Mayocchi & Hanrahan, 1997). in non-sport contexts, they may experience
increased resistance to retirement from sport
Cognitive behavioural therapy would be the (Danish et al., 1992). There may be times
most effective way to assist athletes in ex- when athletes lack the foresight to see that
amining their perceived competency. Ath- they have been applying their transferable
letes may have developed distorted thinking skills already to other parts of their life. It is
patterns, such as black and white thinking, beneficial for athletes to have a positive so-

© 2009 Zone of Excellence - http://www.zoneofexcellence.ca

Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 73

cial support network that is reminding them network have all been successfully ad-
of their competency to transfer skills. It is dressed in counseling, athletes are given the
important for parents, coaches and govern- tools for a successful transition out of sport.
ing bodies to develop a view that places in-
creased importance in athletes’ life Conclusion
development rather than only an athletic de- After an in-depth literature review of athletic
velopment (Danish et al., 1992). career transition and transferable skills, a
treatment plan was developed for athletes
Step Seven: Evaluating the Success of the dealing with career transition from sport.
Transition The proposed treatment plan incorporates
The general goals of treatment (emotional psycho-educational and cognitive behav-
well-being and perceived competency) can ioural therapy by focusing on the emotion-
also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of ality of the transition as well as the
the athlete’s transition out of sport, as well development of transferable skills.
as the effectiveness of the counseling inter- Counselors may be effective in assisting
ventions. The counselor and athlete can use athletes to engage in life after sport by
the previously mentioned steps as indicators helping them realize the skills they need to
for evaluating a successful transition. When be successful in other areas of their life are
the emotionality of the issue, knowledge of skills they have already acquired through
transferable skills, awareness of transferable their involvement in sport.
skills, perceived competency and support

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Journal of Excellence – Issue No. 13 McKnight et al 74

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