En retrospektiv studie av elitgolfspelares upplevelser av karriärövergången från junior till senior

Sammanfattning: The career transition from junior to senior (JST) is described as the most difficult step during an athlete's career, and it is a critical step that many athletes fail to get through (Stambulova, 2009). Stambulova also highlights in her study that a team athlete's experiences of career transitions can be influenced by teammates. Hence, in this study, the focus was on individual athletes, in this case elite golfers, in order to gain a deeper understanding of how the career transition is experienced on a personal level. The purpose of the study was to explore golfers' retrospective experiences of the career transition from junior to senior. The holistic career development model (Wylleman, 2019) and the career transition model (Stambulova, 2009) were used in the study as a theoretical framework. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews of nine elite golfers aged 19-31 (M=25.44, SD=3.74). Three women and six men participated in the study. All interviewees had successfully completed the JST, as all participants, at the time when the study was conducted, played golf on the highest tours both nationally and internationally. The interview result was analyzed by thematic analysis according to Braun et al. (2016). The analysis was divided into four categories based on the career transition model (Stambulova, 2009). The four categories were as follows; elite players' perceived demands during the transition from junior to senior, their perceived resources, barriers and finally their coping strategies. According to these categories, sub-categories and themes were then formed. The authors analyzed the results on the basis of a deductive approach, with elements of an inductive approach in the development of the results' themes. The results of the study show an increase in requirements during the career transition. It also shows which resources were contributing, and which barriers emerged. To deal with the barriers, the results show which coping strategies were used, which together with the resources contributed to a successful transition for the participants. The result has the potential to give elite juniors, but also coaches, a wider view of how increased knowledge of JST can contribute to an effective and successful transition. The results of the interviews were then discussed in accordance with the theoretical frame of reference and previously presented research.