ABSTRACT
The public spectacle of players coping with the end of their career can be painful. This chapter examines the psychological impact of retirement and particularly focuses on what performers can do to make the transition out of sport a positive one. One of the most prominent was the initiative by Mind – a very prominent mental health charity in the UK. This is a well-designed and comprehensive project aimed at raising awareness about mental health in elite sport, using high-profile performers as case studies and addressing the stigma of mental illness. Leaving sport and making transitions into employment or education can pose significant challenges, for example, sport retirees may be much older than others in their immediate peer group. The effect of a life development intervention on sports career transition adjustment. Former players who have worked through the transition out of sport can also be useful in mentoring those considering retirement.
