Context: Competitive sports are recognized as having unique health benefits and risks, and the effect of sports on life-span health among elite athletes has received increasing attention. However, supporting scientific data are sparse and do not represent modern athletes.Objective: To assess holistic life-span health and healthrelated quality-of-life (HRQL) among current and former National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes (SAs).Design: Cross-sectional study. Conclusions: The SAs demonstrated significant, clinically meaningful evidence of greater joint health concerns later in life, comparable cardiopulmonary health, and differences in life-span psychosocial health and HRQL profiles compared with NAs. These data provide timely evidence regarding a compelling public issue and highlight the need for further study of life-span health among modern athletes.Key Words: athletes, quality of life, questionnaires, National Collegiate Athletic Association Key PointsCompared with their nonathlete peers, former National Collegiate Athletic Association intercollegiate studentathletes demonstrated a greater risk for joint health concerns later in life, similar life-span cardiopulmonary health, and different age-related profiles of psychosocial health and health-related quality of life. These findings highlight the need for additional research studies and proactive, evidence-based intervention programs addressing holistic, life-span health, and wellness outcomes among modern competitive athletes.

These data suggest that the TLC Health Survey is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing lifetime and recent health, exercise, and HRQL, among elite competitive athletes. Generalizability of the instrument may be enhanced by additional, larger-scale studies in diverse populations.

The demands of elite athletics often overshadow the developmental stages of children, teens, and young adults. Additionally, many athletes experience an existential crisis of questioning the psychological costs of elite competition when there are significant tensions between their developmental needs and sporting demands. It can be a difficult time for the elite athlete and create disruptions in their support system. We propose this moment as an important window of opportunity for elite athletes to redefine their motivation through a greater sense of purpose. We also discuss the important developmental processes that intersect with the elite athlete's sport-specific experience that can inform practitioners working with elite athletes. Although there are developmental models that provide broad overviews of sport participation, there is a need for integrative models that include developmental science and applied experience. The Developmental Model of Elite Athletes was initially designed to help athletes navigate their athletic careers with clarity, consciousness, and eventually purpose. It is hoped that practitioners can use this model to support their work with elite athletes, inform coaches and parents, and help avoid the tendency to pathologize what are typical developmental experiences of elite athletes. Finally, we hope practitioners will see elite athlete questioning as an opportunity to help the athlete connect to their purpose and find healthy ways to meet their needs so they can thrive in sport and life. Public Significance StatementThe Developmental Model of Elite Athletes was designed to help athletes navigate their athletic careers with clarity, consciousness, and eventually purpose. It is hoped that practitioners, coaches, and parents can use this model to normalize typical developmental experiences and help elite athletes connect to a new sense of purpose in life and sports.

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