The last few weeks have brought a flurry of athlete retirement news, from Super Bowl hero Nick Foles to women’s soccer legend Alex Morgan. But for most athletes, hanging up their cleats isn’t something that happens overnight. Athletes spend their entire lives preparing for this one moment, and it’s often tough to know when it’s time to retire.
For many athletes, retiring isn’t just a physical transition but also a psychological and social adjustment to life without sport. Thousands of dollars in elite coaching and equipment can add up, and the need to forgo regular employment can put pressure on families. In fact, some Olympic athletes have reported relying on food stamps and credit card debt in their early post-athletic years.
Athletes also struggle to find a way to define themselves outside of sport, which can be even harder when they’ve spent a long time involved in the sport. Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt, for example, recently admitted that he gets out of breath walking up stairs in his retirement and that he has lost some of the motivation to exercise.
For this reason, it’s important for athletes to understand that they don’t need to quit their sport cold turkey when they retire. Rather, it can be a gradual process, and incorporating methods like competing less, training less, or simply taking a few days off from training can help them ease into their new lifestyles and find themselves again.