title: An in-depth appraisal of career termination experiences in professional cricket.
abstract: This qualitative study explored the career termination experiences of 9 male, retired professional cricketers between the ages of 28 and 40 (mean value 34, s = 4.65 m). The participants took part in retrospective, semi-structured interviews. Data from the interviews were inductively content analysed within three transition phases of the retirement process: reasons for retirement, factors affecting adaptation and reactions to retirement. The reasons for retirement were multicausal with the majority of the participants highlighting contractual pressures and a lack of communication as important precursors to retirement. Three main themes accounted for the factors affecting adaptation: a limited pursuit of other interests, developmental experiences and coping strategies. In terms of reactions to retirement, all of the participants reflected negatively on the termination of their career, with a sense of loss and resentment characterising the post-retirement period. The findings illustrated the sport-specific nature of career termination in professional cricket and added further support to the emerging consensus that the distinction between voluntary and involuntary retirement is, at best, unclear.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Sport & Exercise Sciences , University of Worcester , Worcester , UK.
authors.forename: Claire-Marie
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional; D003142:Communication; D032982:Contracts; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014852:Wales
keywords: antecedents; cricket; life satisfaction; retirement; transitions