The past few weeks have seen a flurry of athlete retirement news, from Super Bowl winner Nick Foles to women’s soccer legend Alex Morgan. Retiring from competitive sport is a massive transition for athletes. They’ve spent years conditioning, playing and training for their sports—which means that when they hang up their cleats, they’re not just losing an athletic identity, they’re often leaving behind a lifestyle they’ve been accustomed to for decades.
As such, it’s not uncommon for athletes to struggle with the change. Whether forced by injury, aging or the desire to pursue other interests, retiring from sport can be difficult for all types of athletes.
Athletes who struggle with retirement should remember that it’s a process, not an endpoint. It’s rare for an athlete to retire one day and never play again, especially in elite and professional sports where seasons last 46 weeks. Instead, it’s typically a gradual shift that involves finding new ways to stay fit and maintain a sense of self-identity outside of their sport.
Athletes should also work on maintaining a connection to their sporting peers, even when they no longer compete or train with them. It can be difficult to find a sense of community outside your sport, but staying in touch with those peers can help make the transition easier. Ultimately, they’ll have a support network to help them navigate their next phase. And if they don’t want to completely cut themselves off, they can always hop into a pick-up game or athletic charity event later on.