Athlete development models help athletes grow and transition in their sports careers (Bloom, 1985; Côte ́, 1999; Stambulova, 1994; Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004). These models show that athlete development involves different stages with unique activities, relationships, and settings. One important stage is when junior athletes become senior athletes. During this transition, athletes face new challenges like higher performance expectations, intense competition, and more demanding training.
Moving from junior to senior sport is a crucial time for athletes to improve their skills, stay motivated, and grow personally. It is important because many athletes at this stage may quit or feel overwhelmed (Fraser-Thomas et al., 2008). To make the transition easier, young athletes should engage in activities, have supportive relationships, and be in environments that are personally meaningful, challenging, and promote learning (Hidi & Renninger, 2006).
During this transition, athletes face higher expectations and their coaches and teammates become more important, while parents usually have a lesser role (Côté & Fraser-Thomas, 2016). Coaches and sports practitioners should be aware of the changes happening in young athletes’ lives, both inside and outside of sports. They should create activities and settings that are suitable for their development and encourage positive interactions between peers, parents, and coaches.
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Hidi, S., & Renninger, K. A. (2006). The four-phase model of interest development. Educational Psychologist, 41, 111 127.
Stambulova, N. B. (1994). Developmental sports career investigations in Russia: A post-Perestroika analysis. The Sport Psychologist, 8, 221 237.
Wylleman, P., & Lavallee, D. (2004). A developmental perspective on transitions faced by athletes. In M. R. Weiss (Ed.), Developmental sport psychology: A lifespan perspective (pp. 507 527). Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.
