The Athletic Reckoning: A Study of Former College Athletes’ Identity, Realization, and Career Preparation

Athletic identity, as scholars have demonstrated, shapes the perceptions and experiences of college athletes. Likewise, scholars have also shown that career preparation (or the lack thereof) is an important component of athletes’ general preparation for life after sport. This study focuses on former college athletes’ perception of how their athletic identity and commitment to their athletic role shaped their career preparedness. It does so by interviewing former college athletes who have had the requisite time to reflect on their career preparedness, and by considering what the authors call ‘the athletic reckoning.’ This is the juncture at which participants come to the realization that their athletic career is over and, often correspondingly, take on a heightened focus regarding their vocational development. Findings also shed light on the job market experiences of unprepared athletes. The study has implications for both scholars of intercollegiate sport and for practitioners in athletic departments who work with current and former college athletes.