A Study of Retirement Transition and Fandom of Retired Hockey Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand and explore the retirement transition of professional men’s hockey players. Specifically, the research examined the role athlete identity theory has this important period of their lives (Brewer et al., 1993). Previous research has heavily ignored studying former professional players and the sport of hockey, but while some similarities exist in the athletic transitions for all sports, the experiences of retired professional hockey players are not necessarily representative of all other sports (Andrijiw, 2010). The study showed the importance of preparing for retirement and how not doing such can lead to many difficulties (Knights et al., 2019). To fulfill this study’s purpose, a qualitative research design was constructed to study retired men’s professional hockey players. Participants (n=11) who had been retired for a for a minimum of three years were sampled. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, taking place either over the telephone or via virtual videoconferencing (Zoom), and then analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2000). Four main categories arose, and within them, multiple sub-categories. These findings highlight the difficulties that can occur during the transitional years for a recently retired athlete, and how the athletic identity plays an important role in the process. This study provides a deeper theoretical understanding of the role the athletic identity has in the experiences retired hockey players have in their transition out of professional sport. The findings of this study could lead to continued awareness of these challenges so other athletes are aware of what might be in store for them in their retirements. Further research is necessary to continue to examine the uniqueness hockey retirement, as the challenges are far greater than many athletes realize.