The purpose of this study was to explore the association between coach leadership and the coach-athlete relationship. Eighty-one elite athletes ( M = 20.4 years; SD = 3.8; 58% female and 42% male) responded to questionnaires pertaining to their coaches’ leadership behaviours and the quality of their relationship. The overall model for predicting the quality of the coach-athlete relationship according to perceived coach leadership behaviours explained 61% of the variance. Three transformational leadership behaviours were positively associated with the quality of the coach-athlete relationship: individualized consideration, appropriate role-modelling, and fostering acceptance of group goals and teamwork. Based on a gender comparison, men perceived higher levels of leadership pertaining to role-modelling and intellectual stimulation, in addition to higher levels of quality for the coach-athlete relationship. This research emphasizes the importance of engaging in transformational leadership behaviours with regards to associations with perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship in elite sport contexts.

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The aims of the study were: (i) to describe the work integration after retirement in elite athletes, (ii) to compare the working integration of women and men, and Olympic and non-Olympic athletes, and (iii) to specify the factors that affect their employment status and current monthly income. A total of 476 former elite athletes were surveyed. Non-parametric statistics were applied to compare the differences between groups and a classification tree analysis was performed for the dependent variables. The former elite athlete’s unemployment rate was better than the general population. At the gender comparison, a wage gap appeared between women and men. At the comparison between Olympic and non-Olympic athletes, the link to first employment differed in both groups. In the prediction models, finishing higher education arose as a key factor of the working status and the monthly salary. Among those without higher education studies, planning arose as a factor determining their salary, while among those with high qualifications, gender was the key factor. This study supports the importance of a holistic view of athletic career development and it offers practical insights into the process of reaching first employment after retirement.

Based on the conceptual model of adaptation to retirement among athletes (Taylor & Ogilvie, 1994), the present study aimed to (a) evaluate if perceived difficulties during the retirement transition varied according to the voluntariness of the decision, planning of a postsport career life, satisfaction with the sport achievements, and career path, and (b) analyze if these perceived difficulties varied according to the type of the student-athlete’s dual-career trajectory. In total, 477 elite athletes completed the questionnaire. Multivariate multinomial logistic models were applied to analyze the data. Voluntariness was significantly associated with difficulties related to professional career out of sport, health, and finances. Planning one’s retirement was associated with difficulties in areas such as studies, family, and leisure, whereas satisfaction with sport achievements was associated with difficulties in areas such as social networking, leisure, and finance. The results supported our hypothesis that student-athletes who combined sport and education and gave them the same degree of priority (parallel trajectory) would experience fewer difficulties than athletes who prioritize sport over education (convergent trajectory). The factors proposed by Taylor and Ogilvie’s model were associated with the perceived difficulties in different areas when keeping the other factors in control. Because only a parallel dual-career trajectory seems to protect the athlete from severe difficulties in transitioning out of sport, future research should identify means for assisting student-athletes to maintain their educational commitment.