ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the research and broadens the understanding of dropout in the athlete development process. It provides a description of different terminologies related to dropout. The chapter describes dropout as a mismatch between resources and demands. It focuses on personal, lifestyle and sporting reasons associated with dropout. The chapter outlines athletes' characteristics associated with dropout. It describes coaches' and parents' contributions to dropout and subsequently illustrates further environmental factors associated with dropout. The chapter provides a summary of factors that prevent dropout and promote continuation. It also provides strategies, applied perspectives and recommendations for how to prevent dropout of athletes. Sporting reasons are related to the system surrounding the athlete. This includes persons associated with the sport but also demands and expectations from being part of the sport. A key internal factor for career development is the athlete's psychological makeup which allows athletes to cope with the demands of transitions.
