Exploration of temporal changes in exercise and identity in former high school athletes entering college: a mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVE

Understand former high school athletes' (FHSAs) exercise and identity changes during their transition to college without organized sport.

PARTICIPANTS

Freshman FHSAs not continuing sport in college (N = 35, 28 women).

METHODS

Utilizing a mixed methods, sequential quantitative-QUALITATIVE design, participants self-reported exercise and identity via online surveys over 22 weeks. A subpopulation (n = 14, 10 women) completed interviews incorporating survey data two weeks after the survey period.

RESULTS

The sample was "active" over time, but intra-individual consistency was "poor" (ICC = 0.496) with considerable within-person variation. Athlete and exercise identity changed little and demonstrated "good" and "excellent" temporal within-person consistency, respectively (ICCs = 0.788; 0.898). Five themes highlight FHSAs' similarities to other adult populations regarding exercise, and unique internal/external factors affecting their behavior specific to sports retirement.

CONCLUSIONS

While FHSAs exhibited exercise-related competence, balancing fitness losses and expectations was challenging. Exercise fluctuated cyclically with corresponding identity changes. Further research is needed to determine directions for research-to-practice.