FEPSAC position statement: Athletes’ dual careers in the European context

Natalia Stambulova; Paul Wylleman; Miquel Torregrossa; Saša  Cecić Erpič; Francesca Vitali; Koen De Brandt; Anastasiya Khomutova; Alexis Ruffault; Yago Ramis

doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102572

FEPSAC position statement: Athletes’ dual careers in the European context

Natalia Stambulova, Paul Wylleman, Miquel Torregrossa, Saša Cecić Erpič, Francesca Vitali, Koen De Brandt, Anastasiya Khomutova, Alexis Ruffault, Yago Ramis

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Abstract

The aim of this FEPSAC Position Statement is to summarize current knowledge about athletes’ dual careers (DCs) in the European context and propose recommendations for future DC research, practice, and policy. Inspired by the European Union’s Guidelines on Dual Careers of Athletes (European Commission, 2012), researchers, practitioners, and policy makers collaborated over the last decade to create the European DC discourse as a context-informed and negotiated body of DC knowledge. In this paper, we proceed from analyzing this body of knowledge using recent review papers and European DC psychological research projects to formulating seven postulates summarizing DC research findings on factors influencing athletes in their striving for DC excellence. These factors include (1) context, (2) pathways and transitions, (3) challenges, (4) resources and coping, (5) support and empowerment, (6) student–athletes’ mental health, and (7) DC development environments. In the final section, we acknowledge the contributions of European DC discourse in serving athletes in their pursuit of DC excellence and European DC culture. We also provide a critical discussion on DC knowledge gaps and, on behalf of FEPSAC, offer recommendations for DC research, practice, and policy in Europe.

Original language	English
Article number	102572
Number of pages	10
Journal	Psychology of Sport and Exercise
Volume	71
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102572
Publication status	Published - Mar 2024

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Further research on scenarios of student–athletes (Linnér et al., 2021b) led to an empirical taxonomy and an updated definition of DC scenarios. Four types of DC scenarios have been identified: (a) maintain sport and studies with several shifts in daily life; (b) maintain study when sport should be prioritized (e.g., important competitions); (c) maintain sport when education should be prioritized (e.g., finalizing degree project while continue to train/compete); and (d) maintain personal life (e.g., combining romantic relationship or relocation with sport and studies). Derived from this taxonomy, DC scenarios are defined as “pre-transition situations constituting a combination of student–athletes’ circumstances that compromises their DC balance. DC scenarios are characterized by coinciding commitments across developmental levels, and student–athletes need personal resources, support, and coping strategies to maintain their optimal DC balance” (Linnér et al., 2021b p. 53).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Keywords

Dual career excellence
Dual career development environments
European dual career culture
European dual career discourse
Holistic perspective on athletes’ development

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10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102572Licence: CC BY

106482451Final published version, 671 KBLicence: CC BY

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029223001966

Cite this

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title = "FEPSAC position statement: Athletes{\textquoteright} dual careers in the European context",

abstract = "The aim of this FEPSAC Position Statement is to summarize current knowledge about athletes{\textquoteright} dual careers (DCs) in the European context and propose recommendations for future DC research, practice, and policy. Inspired by the European Union{\textquoteright}s Guidelines on Dual Careers of Athletes (European Commission, 2012), researchers, practitioners, and policy makers collaborated over the last decade to create the European DC discourse as a context-informed and negotiated body of DC knowledge. In this paper, we proceed from analyzing this body of knowledge using recent review papers and European DC psychological research projects to formulating seven postulates summarizing DC research findings on factors influencing athletes in their striving for DC excellence. These factors include (1) context, (2) pathways and transitions, (3) challenges, (4) resources and coping, (5) support and empowerment, (6) student–athletes{\textquoteright} mental health, and (7) DC development environments. In the final section, we acknowledge the contributions of European DC discourse in serving athletes in their pursuit of DC excellence and European DC culture. We also provide a critical discussion on DC knowledge gaps and, on behalf of FEPSAC, offer recommendations for DC research, practice, and policy in Europe.",

keywords = "Dual career excellence, Dual career development environments, European dual career culture, European dual career discourse, Holistic perspective on athletes{\textquoteright} development",

author = "Natalia Stambulova and Paul Wylleman and Miquel Torregrossa and {Ceci{\'c} Erpi{\v c}}, Sa{\v s}a and Francesca Vitali and {De Brandt}, Koen and Anastasiya Khomutova and Alexis Ruffault and Yago Ramis",

note = "Funding Information: Further research on scenarios of student–athletes (Linn{\'e}r et al., 2021b) led to an empirical taxonomy and an updated definition of DC scenarios. Four types of DC scenarios have been identified: (a) maintain sport and studies with several shifts in daily life; (b) maintain study when sport should be prioritized (e.g., important competitions); (c) maintain sport when education should be prioritized (e.g., finalizing degree project while continue to train/compete); and (d) maintain personal life (e.g., combining romantic relationship or relocation with sport and studies). Derived from this taxonomy, DC scenarios are defined as “pre-transition situations constituting a combination of student–athletes{\textquoteright} circumstances that compromises their DC balance. DC scenarios are characterized by coinciding commitments across developmental levels, and student–athletes need personal resources, support, and coping strategies to maintain their optimal DC balance” (Linn{\'e}r et al., 2021b p. 53). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors",

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AU - Torregrossa, Miquel

AU - Cecić Erpič, Saša

AU - Vitali, Francesca

AU - De Brandt, Koen

AU - Khomutova, Anastasiya

AU - Ruffault, Alexis

AU - Ramis, Yago

N1 - Funding Information: Further research on scenarios of student–athletes (Linnér et al., 2021b) led to an empirical taxonomy and an updated definition of DC scenarios. Four types of DC scenarios have been identified: (a) maintain sport and studies with several shifts in daily life; (b) maintain study when sport should be prioritized (e.g., important competitions); (c) maintain sport when education should be prioritized (e.g., finalizing degree project while continue to train/compete); and (d) maintain personal life (e.g., combining romantic relationship or relocation with sport and studies). Derived from this taxonomy, DC scenarios are defined as “pre-transition situations constituting a combination of student–athletes’ circumstances that compromises their DC balance. DC scenarios are characterized by coinciding commitments across developmental levels, and student–athletes need personal resources, support, and coping strategies to maintain their optimal DC balance” (Linnér et al., 2021b p. 53). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

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AB - The aim of this FEPSAC Position Statement is to summarize current knowledge about athletes’ dual careers (DCs) in the European context and propose recommendations for future DC research, practice, and policy. Inspired by the European Union’s Guidelines on Dual Careers of Athletes (European Commission, 2012), researchers, practitioners, and policy makers collaborated over the last decade to create the European DC discourse as a context-informed and negotiated body of DC knowledge. In this paper, we proceed from analyzing this body of knowledge using recent review papers and European DC psychological research projects to formulating seven postulates summarizing DC research findings on factors influencing athletes in their striving for DC excellence. These factors include (1) context, (2) pathways and transitions, (3) challenges, (4) resources and coping, (5) support and empowerment, (6) student–athletes’ mental health, and (7) DC development environments. In the final section, we acknowledge the contributions of European DC discourse in serving athletes in their pursuit of DC excellence and European DC culture. We also provide a critical discussion on DC knowledge gaps and, on behalf of FEPSAC, offer recommendations for DC research, practice, and policy in Europe.

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KW - Dual career development environments

KW - European dual career culture

KW - European dual career discourse

KW - Holistic perspective on athletes’ development

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JO - Psychology of Sport and Exercise

JF - Psychology of Sport and Exercise

M1 - 102572

ER -

FEPSAC position statement: Athletes’ dual careers in the European context

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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