The Career Development Of Elite Athletes: a Life-span Perspective

Introduction
Research has revealed that the development of elite athletes occurs in a concurrent, interactive and reciprocal way at the athletic level as well as the non-athletic level (Wylleman, De Knop, Ewing, & Cumming, 2000). More particularly, it has been argumented that the development of the athletic career of elite athletes influences, and is influenced by, the athletes’ development in the psychological, psychosocial, academic and vocational domains (Wylleman, Alfermann, & Lavallee, 2004).

Methods
Based on empirical qualitative and quantitative data on the development of the athletic career of former Olympic athletes, elite student-athletes and young elite athletes, a developmental model was developed which provides a normative view on the development of athletes at athletic, psychological, psychosocial, academic and vocational level.

Results

ANEXO

Discussion / Conclusions
Using this developmental model, a rationale for the need of a holistic and life-span approach to the study of elite athletes’ sport and post-sport career will be proposed. This model will also be used to illustrate the interaction and reciprocity between the developmental stages at athletic and non-athletic level of a young elite athlete and of a former Olympic athlete.

References
Wylleman P, Alfermann D, Lavallee D (2004). Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 1, 7-20.
Wylleman P, De Knop P, Ewing M, Cumming S (2000). In Lavallee D, Wylleman P, Career transitions in sport: International perspectives: 143-160.
Wylleman P, Lavallee D (2004). In Weiss M, Developmental Sport and Exercise Psychology: 507-527.

NOTA: O texto com a iconografia está no anexo.

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