ABSTRACT
Leading on from sport psychologists’ initial focus on the athletic retirement of elite and professional athletes, continued research revealed that this transition should be considered within the context of the stages it delineates – namely, the pre- and post-retirement stages. Since the mid 1990s, the topic of the athletic career has grown into “a well-researched and well-established domain of sport psychology”. This normative stage approach aligned with a career perspective from work and organizational psychology – namely, a natural stage-like development including a sequence of positions, roles, activities, and experiences. Although external resources will be of assistance to athletes, the development of competencies enhancing their career progress is also required. Finally, although athletes need to take responsibility for their career development, the role of support providers is crucial.
