A qualitative exploration of the vocational pre retirement planning and current job situation of retired elite judokas

This study is conducted in 15 retired Flemish top level judokas. Using a qualitative method, the course of their sports career and the way they developed an image of retirement throughout the initiation stage, developmental stage, stage of perfection and discontinuation stage (Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004) were examined. Also the quality of their post career life was questioned. The judokas participating in the study started the initiation stage at the age of 9. The developmental stage had an average duration of 3 years. The perfection stage was relatively time-consuming with an average of 13 years competing at the highest level.
The retired judokas started developing a view of retirement during the developmental stage and started making career and educational choices during the perfection stage of their athletic development. None of the retired athletes faced problems finding a new job after retiring. However 7 of the participating athletes did experience difficulties adapting to the new job circumstances (fixed hours, responsibilities, lack of goal oriented work, etc.).
In this study it became clear that the athletes do develop an image of retirement while they are still active as athletes, but there still is more need for a structural and efficient transition program in Flanders.