NCAA Division III Personnel: Perspectives On Improving College Athletes’ Retirement Experiences Through Exercise Promotion

Observed declines in the physical and mental health of former college athletes (FCAs) after sports retirement may be exacerbated by decreased exercise levels post-sport. Former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division (D) I and III athletes indicated that endorsement and/or intervention by personnel from their college athletics departments would have aided in preserving their exercise behavior and retirement quality. PURPOSE: Explore NCAA DIII athletic personnel’s perceptions of FCAs’ exercise post-college and brainstorm how to improve FCAs’ retirement experiences through exercise promotion. METHODS: Participants were coaches, athletic trainers, and administrators from an athletics department at an NCAA DIII liberal arts college in the Midwest United States. Five semi-structured focus groups consisting of 3-5 people were conducted between June-July, 2024. To facilitate conversation, the interview guide included direct quotes from a previous qualitative study exploring the exercise experiences of FCAs from the same institution. Data was recorded and transcribed via Google Meet. Transcriptions were hand-corrected before thematic analysis occurred. RESULTS: Focus groups averaged 101.4 ± 25.1 minutes (range 62-123 minutes) in length and included 20 participants (50% men, 46 ± 11 years, 100% white, 60% coaches). Four themes were conceptualized: “the bubble of college athletics”, “from team to individual - renegotiating identity post-college”, “the role of the coach - the process of releasing the athlete”, “giving athletes momentum to ‘move forward’ - figuratively and literally.” CONCLUSIONS: The college athletics environment may limit autonomy while athletes are in sport, which may lead to inactivity and other difficulties in retirement. Efforts should be made to expand retiring athletes’ knowledge of exercise and other life skills (e.g., stress management, financial planning). While wary to be involved in a program, personnel acknowledged they could be more active in introducing retiring athletes to available resources. Implementing an intervention with a multidisciplinary team, including alumni athletes and outside experts, who engage with retiring athletes in mentor groups, informal meetings, and formal lectures were suggested, which warrant further exploration. Supported by: This research was funded through the Jacob E. Nyenhuis Faculty Development Grant.