Occupational adaptation of retired elite athletes transitioning into school coaches in China

Background The transition of retired elite athletes into high-performance or professional coaching has received considerable scholarly attention, whereas their transition into school coaching remains underexplored. In 2023, China established the position of school coach under the policy agenda of integrating sports and education, marking the emergence of a new occupation within the education system. This study explores the occupational adaptation process of retired elite athletes transitioning into school coaching positions, with the aim of promoting the career development and well-being of school coaches and providing new insights into the emergence and practice of new occupational roles within contexts of institutional transformation. Methods This qualitative study, grounded in constructivist epistemology, conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 school coaches with elite athletic backgrounds from multiple regions in China (Anhui, Zhejiang, and Guangdong provinces). Purposive and maximum variation sampling were employed to capture diversity in participants’ demographic characteristics and professional backgrounds, including age, gender, athletic level, sport type, school level, geographic region. Interview data collected between March and December 2025 were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, with researcher reflexivity and continuous analytical discussions employed to enhance trustworthiness. Results The occupational adaptation of retired athletes transitioning into school coaching positions unfolds through three stages: role pre-adaptation, role negotiation, and role orientation. During pre-adaptation, individuals formed preliminary understandings of the role through training and internships, though their perceptions remained influenced by competitive sport logic. After entering schools, they experienced reality shock and ongoing role negotiation as tensions emerged between competitive sport experiences and educational contexts. Over time, adaptation outcomes diverged into three forms: role integration, role assimilation, and role alienation. Conclusions The occupational adaptation of school coaches is a dynamic process of occupational identity construction shaped by state logic, school logic, and professional logic, while also influenced by individual agency. The findings provide new insights into the literature on elite athletes’ career transition and occupational adaptation. Future efforts should further improve the working mechanisms and evaluation systems for school coaches in order to promote the institutionalization and professionalization of this occupation.