A Qualitative Exploration of Former College Student-Athletes’ Wellness

Abstract

IntroductionCollege graduation is accompanied by a challenging transition into the real world, which like many other major life transitions, may be distressing and can affect individuals' wellness (Hart & Swenty 2015). For student-athletes (SAs) who already display reduced levels of wellness (Watson & Kissinger 2007), transitioning from college may be an especially treacherous time. Research is needed to better understand the aspects of wellness that are impacted during SA's transition out of sport.One method for exploring SA's wellness is through the Indivisible Self Model (IS-WEL; Myers & Sweeney 2004). The IS-WEL model defines wellness as "…a way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being, in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live life more fully" (Witmer & Sweeney 1998, p. 43). The primary construct of this model is referred to as Total Wellness, which is comprised of five second-order factors: creative self, coping self, social self, essential self, and physical self. Each secondorder factor contains a number of third-order factors. The creative self is comprised of thinking, emotions, control, work, and positive humor; the coping self is comprised of leisure, stress-management, self-worth, and realistic beliefs; the essential self is comprised of spirituality, gender identity, cultural identity, and self-care; the social self is comprised of friendship and love; and the physical self is comprised of exercise and nutrition. The IS-WEL Model is an ideal framework to view the wellness of SAs, as many of the issues described in the literature align with the second-and third-order factors.

Volleyball Athletes Training Program Towards Their Achievements

“…Coaches may help athletes reach their maximum potential while simultaneously developing a culture of resilience and wellbeing by encouraging enough sleep, highlighting the value of nutrition, and educating athletes on lifestyle issues that affect performance. Setting priorities for health and wellness fosters a positive atmosphere that inspires athletes and coaches to make healthy decisions, as noted by Warehime et al (2017). This results in happier, more engaged people on and off the court.…”

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“…Collegiate athletes that maintain realistic expectations surrounding their athletic careers (such as the DIII participants in this study) coupled with career maturity (using campus career and academic resources along with proactive planning) report a more positive transition to life after sports (Navarro, 2014;Warehime et al, 2017). Navarro (2014) found when collegiate athletes choose their major based on their academic skillset, familial influence, and person-JADE Bowling Green State University -https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/jade/ al passions they were more active in the preparation process for their chosen career field.…”

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“…Athletic retirement experiences are diverse, in part because there are so many potential variables that can play a role in one's decision, or requirement, to retire. Researchers have reported both successful (Martin, Fogarty, & Albion, 2014;Sinclair & Orlick, 1993;Stokowski, Paule-Koba, & Kaunert, 2019;Warehime, Dinkel, Bjornsen-Ramig, & Blount, 2017) and unsuccessful (Jewett, Kerr, & Tamminen, 2018) athlete retirement transitions. For example, Martin and colleagues' (2014) study uncovered that athletes who retired on their own accord reported an increase in life satisfaction, suggesting that these individuals experienced a positive sport retirement.…”