Female athletes' experiences of positive growth following deselection in sport

Citation

Neely KC, Dunn JGH, McHugh TF & Holt NL (2018) Female athletes' experiences of positive growth following deselection in sport. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 40 (4), pp. 173-185. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2017-0136

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore female athletes’ experiences of positive growth following deselection from provincial sport teams. Interviews were conducted with 18 women (Mage = 22.45 years, SD = 1.38) who were deselected from provincial soccer, ice hockey, and volleyball teams as adolescents. Interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology was used. The analysis was guided by Tedeschi and Calhoun’s model of posttraumatic growth. Results showed that participants questioned their identity and ability as athletes following deselection. Growth was a gradual process that unfolded over several years, experienced through a greater appreciation of the role of sport in the participants’ lives and sport becoming a priority, an enhanced sense of personal strength, developing closer social relationships, and a recognition of new and other opportunities. These findings show that cognitive processes and social relationships are critical components in the process of positive growth.

Keywords
phenomenology; posttraumatic growth; youth sport

Journal
Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology: Volume 40, Issue 4