The purpose of this study was to explore adolescent athletes’ perceptions of demands, challenges, and adversities they face in their combination of sports and study. The holistic athletic career model (Wylleman, Reints, De Knop, 2013) was used as a theoretical framework. 22 talented adolescent male and female athletes participated in semi-structured interviews to discuss their perceived demands and challenges in their combination of sport and study. Participants expressed their strong commitment to both, sports and education. In comparison with male athletes, female adolescent athletes expressed a greater level of dissatisfaction with their athletic work, strong educational motivation together with highly perceived school-induced stress. Peers (schoolmates, teammates, non-athletic friends) were identified as very influential for young athletes, serving as a source of both, positive as well as negative experiences. Study findings support taking a holistic approach when educating and working with adolescent athletes.

Research suggests that teacher students are at particular risk for experiencing career anxiety compared to other professions (Daniels et al., 2006). The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of career anxiety in students in their final years of studies and the moderating role of a fixed mindset in the relationship between career anxiety and life satisfaction. The study examined 192 students in their final years of the Preschool Education and Primary Teacher Education study programs. Besides basic demographic information, the mindset questionnaire, the career anxiety scale, the SWLS life satisfaction questionnaire, and the STAI-X2 anxiety scale were used to obtain the data. The findings showed that the majority of students reported being satisfied with their life and that higher life satisfaction was positively connected with less trait anxiety and career anxiety, as well as a less fixed mindset. Furthermore, the results showed that a fixed mindset was an important moderator of the relationship between career anxiety and life satisfaction in future preschool and primary education teachers. Based on the obtained results, their implications were summarised for teacher education programs and counselling at university career centres.