Last June, Lizzie Larkins, writing in her capacity as a grad student in the department of Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology at Montana State University, penned a request for survey responses in these pages. The request, which was distributed here as well as via various USSS athlete listservs, sought input from American nordic skiers aged 18 or over who had previously raced for at least one season in USSS- or FIS-level competitions but who had then moved on from consistent nordic ski racing, whether or not they considered themselves to be formally retired.
“The purpose of this research is to demonstrate how the phenomenon of athletes leaving behind a demanding sport can impact their identity, social network, body image, and relationship to exercise,” Larkins wrote at the time. “Creating awareness around this phenomenon will help support athletes navigating the transition, identify common themes in the athletes’ experiences, and better equip athletes and their support networks as they navigate the transition away from sport.”
A year later, the results are in. Larkins received 109 total responses, which is not nothing considering that a grand total of 1,644 American nordic skiers did at least one USSS race last year. (If you’re curious how many of those were over 18… not many. Of those 1,644 athletes with an active USSS comp license who raced last season, a full 1,158 of them per my sorting of the dataset, or 70 percent, have a DOB of 2005 or later. USSS racing is a young person’s game.)
Which is, in so many words, Larkins’s point, or at least one of them. “The average age that athletes in this study discontinued nordic ski racing is 23,” she writes. “Nordic skiers usually reach their physiological peak in their career around age 29, so further research on why skiers are leaving sport far before they peak physiologically could be beneficial for keeping skiers engaged in sport especially after they graduate college.”
So why do they leave the sport? Seven main themes emerged in Larkins’s research here:
- Lack of future funding and direction
- End of college
- Difficulties associated with balancing the demands of sport with other parts of life
- Illness and injury
- Lack of motivation to continue skiing
- Burnout and mental health
- Struggles with coaching
And what was hard about this? Among other themes identified: “difficult to renegotiate identity and mental health without skiing, losing skiing and connection to ski community, losing consistent schedule and team environment, guilt around no longer training, acceptance of body image and fear of losing fitness, and unrealized dreams.”
In my personal opinion, these are important questions, and I am pleased that someone is considering them. Read on for more.
Oh, and finally, while this paper is clearly written in an academic tone, Larkins informs me that she does not plan to submit this for formal academic publishing in any forum other than this website. That is, I am not interfering with the preprint or peer review process by sharing this here.
— Gavin Kentch
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Navigating the Transition: How U.S. Nordic Skiers Transition out of Competitive Ski Racing
By Lizzie Larkins
Assistant Nordic Coach, Montana State University. Graduating in May with a Master’s of Science in Sport and Coaching Sciences.
In pursuit of a Master’s of Science in Sport and Coaching Sciences in the Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology department at Montana State University, I embarked on a research project asking the question: “How do athletes experience the phenomenon of transitioning out of competitive nordic ski racing?”
The purpose of this research was to examine athletes’ experiences through the transition out of nordic skiing and find trends in collected survey responses. We, as a research team, wanted to learn more about the transition out of sport to provide insight into how athletes are impacted by this major life transition.
The study was created as a phenomenological investigation of athletes’ experience. In this case, the shared phenomenon being investigated is the transition away from a competitive sport, which in this case is nordic ski racing. Each participant possesses a unique experience in their transition out of sport, so the identified themes are generalizations based on overlapping athlete experiences. The research team chose to focus on three questions in this investigation after distributing a 19 question survey in summer of 2023.
Self-identified previous nordic ski racers who were at least 18 years old, willing to complete the survey, and provided consent were the participants in this study. Participation was entirely voluntary, and participants were eligible for the survey if they meet the following criteria: of U.S. origin, raced at least one season in U.S. Ski and Snowboard or FIS scored competitions, considered yourself to be a nordic ski racer or athlete, and have “retired” or moved on from consistent nordic ski racing. Any identifiable information was removed so survey responses could remain anonymous.
Subjects were sourced through the U.S. Ski and Snowboard email listserv and contacted through an email distribution to all U.S. Ski and Snowboard registered clubs and collegiate programs who were asked to distribute the survey to their alumni network. The survey was also distributed to Nordic Insights, a nordic skiing news website, to reach more subjects; a call for responses was posted to nordicinsights.news and to the Nordic Insights Instagram account. Although there are subjects who are disengaged from the ski community who might not have access to the survey, this approach was implemented to reach most clubs and organizations within the nordic ski community.
The 19-question survey garnered 109 total responses. Of those responses, 67 complete responses were de-identified and used in the data analysis coding. These former athletes identified the level of skiing which they competed at, when they started skiing competitively, and at what age they disengaged from nordic ski racing. Out of the completed survey responses, 12% of participants competed at the Olympics, 12% competed at the World Cup level, 70% competed at the NCAA Division I college level, and 79% competed at the high school level. Demographics like age, gender, and ethnicity were not collected in this survey.
The qualitative analysis was conducted by three researchers, all former college athletes in running, soccer, and nordic skiing. Using a random number generator to extract 20 random survey responses narrowed down to the three questions for the primary thematic analysis.
All three members of the primary research team individually analyzed these 20 responses by question. By examining each of the 20 responses to each question, the research team assembled themes in the athlete experiences for why they left sport, what was the hardest part, and what would have helped them in the transition. After coding individually, the research team reunited to consolidate the themes from the 20 data responses. After agreeing and establishing the themes, the research team individually analyzed these themes within the remaining survey responses. The research team confirmed and agreed on the prominent themes within the entire dataset. For triangulation, a fourth researcher confirmed the themes and their prevalence in the larger dataset.
When asked why participants left competitive nordic ski racing, seven themes emerged. The themes were lack of future funding and direction, end of college, difficulties associated with balancing the demands of sport with other parts of life, illness and injury, lack of motivation to continue skiing, burnout and mental health, and struggles with coaching.
The six themes identified by participants when asked, “What was the hardest part of the transition?” included: difficult to renegotiate identity and mental health without skiing, losing skiing and connection to ski community, losing consistent schedule and team environment, guilt around no longer training, acceptance of body image and fear of losing fitness, and unrealized dreams.
Based on participant responses when asked what would have helped them in their transition, support and connections to ski community, exploring other parts of identity and exploring other ways to engage in skiing, mental health support through and before transition, support of coaches, role models who have transitioned away from the sport, a better understanding of how to let go of training, and not sure or nothing were the prominent themes.
In this research, losing the social network and team atmosphere of nordic skiing proved to be one of the hardest parts of leaving the sport. Similarly, connections to the ski community would have helped many in their transition out of sport. In previous studies on social dynamics in nordic skiing, social identity mapping identified being a part of a team as the primary social outlet for many nordic skiers and nordic skiers use exercise as a primary avenue for socializing. Patterns of social support among nordic skiers give insight into why many nordic skiers struggle with this in their transition away from competitive nordic skiing.
Research outside of nordic skiing also shows that losing the social aspect of sport is often one of the hardest parts of the transition away from sport (Senecal, 2017). In what would have helped athletes in the transition, role models who have transitioned away from the sport and connections to the ski community emerged as prominent themes. In a similar investigation, athletes who felt cared for and understood felt supported through their transition out of sport (Brown et al. 2019). In our research and in this investigation, open discourse and support from peers can create the perception of feeling understood in the transition out of sport.
Burnout emerged as a reason why athletes are disengaging from competitive nordic ski racing. In the research on burnout among nordic skiers, social-psychological factors such as high external pressure, lack of control, and entrapment are all potential risk factors for burnout (Gustafsson 2007). This overlaps with athletes losing motivation to continue skiing and finding it hard to renegotiate identity and mental health without skiing.
This also connects to mental health support being helpful before, during, and after the transition out of sport, which emerged in our research findings. Mental health emerged in our research as a reason why athletes left sport and one of the hardest parts of the transition. This supports existing evidence that mental health is a primary concern for athletes leaving sport regardless of the circumstances of their departure (Shander and Petrie 2021).
In this research, many athletes struggled to accept body image and had a fear of losing fitness. This connects to the present information available on RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) and reinforces why mental and physical health support is important for former athletes as there is a spectrum of symptoms and ways RED-S can present itself (Ravi et al. 2021).
The prevalence of eating disorders and RED-S impacts athletes and former athletes while they are in sport and as they disengage from it. Given the volume of training expected of competitive nordic ski racers, this theme also speaks to changing expectations around fitness once you are done competing. Nordic skiing provides a lifelong fitness base and understanding of training, but athletes need support as they redefine their relationship to exercise and their bodies after their days of competition are over.
Similarly, injury and illness were a reason why athletes in this study disengaged from nordic skiing. When athletes choose to leave sport voluntarily, they may have a positive outlook on the changes to come. Although each transition is individual to the athlete, how an athlete leaves the sport impacts how they feel about the transition and injury is often an involuntary departure from sport (Lyons et al. 2018).
In nordic skiing, graduating college was also a primary reason why people left the sport. In many of the responses stating this, athletes often reported leaving college in conjunction with other transitions. This overlaps with present research on athletes leaving college, leaving sport, and leaving unrealized dreams behind as well (Menke and Germany 2019).
Unrealized dreams emerged as one of the hardest parts of leaving sport in our research. This is also true for the theme of lack of future and direction in sport being a primary reason for disengagement. While there are studies expressing this as a reason for discontinuing sport, there is no direct supporting research for the lack of sport options at the higher levels.
Similarly, there is literature on what training looks like for nordic skiers, but there is no supporting literature or information on how nordic skiers can let go of and move on from these deeply ingrained beliefs about training. This could contribute to many nordic skiers in our study expressing guilt around no longer training and feeling the loss of the lifestyle after they leave the sport. A better understanding of how to let go of training could have helped many nordic skiers in their transition out of sport, which is why this is especially relevant.
Finally, it is important to acknowledge that for some skiers, they were not sure what would have helped them, or they believed nothing would have helped them in their transition out of sport. Some people have ease in their transition which is important to acknowledge. For others, the transition is severe and something they struggle with for quite some time. Each transition out of sport will be individualized, so this collection of information can be used as a resource regardless of how easy or difficult it is for someone to experience this phenomenon.
The average age that athletes in this study discontinued nordic ski racing is 23. Nordic skiers usually reach their physiological peak in their career around age 29, so further research on why skiers are leaving sport far before they peak physiologically could be beneficial for keeping skiers engaged in sport especially after they graduate college.
The themes here also show mental health, expanding identity, and continued engagement with the ski community are all areas of support that could help athletes in their transition. Further research could be done on how athletes receive and desire to be supported as they transition away from sport.
Educating coaches and support systems on athlete experiences is the next step after creating awareness around the transition. With an understanding of a coach’s role and the importance of support while athletes are in sport and disengaging from it, understanding how communication from coaches impacts athletes when they are in sport and as they leave sport could be beneficial in shaping coach education.
It could also help to build resources for athletes so they have an understanding of the themes we found before they leave sport. Mentorship programs with people who have moved on from racing or educational tools on how to let go of deeply ingrained beliefs about training could have positive impacts on athletes as they navigate the transition away from competitive nordic ski racing.
With an understanding of how an athlete might experience the transition out of sport, the themes in this research can inform the support networks of athletes as they navigate their departure from sport. Specific to nordic skiing in the United States, these themes provide insight into athlete experiences with the understanding that each athlete will navigate this transition differently. It is a starting point for understanding how this phenomenon impacts athletes. This culmination of athlete experiences can inform athletes, former athletes, and support networks on how athletes experience the transition and how we can better support them through it!
Works Cited
Brown, Christopher J., Thomas L. Webb, Mark A. Robinson, and Rick Cotgreave. 2019. “Athletes’ retirement from elite sport: A qualitative study of parents and partners’ experiences.” Psychology of Sport and Exercise 40:51-60.
Gustafsson, Henrik. 2007. “The process of burnout: A multiple case study of three elite endurance athletes.” International Journal of Sport Psychology 38:388-416.
Lyons, Logan K., Travis E. Dorsch, Lydia F. Bell, and Laurel G. Mason. 2018. “Renegotiating Identity: A phenomenological investigation of the college transition for former high school athletes no longer engaged in varsity competition.” Identity 18(1):18-33.
Menke, Donna J., and Mae-Lynn Germany. 2019. “Reconstructing Athletic Identity: College Athletes and Sport Retirement.” Journal of Loss & Trauma 24(1):17-30.
Ravi, Suvi, Johanna K. Ihalainen, Ritva S. Taipale-Mikkonen, Urho M. Kujala, Benjamin Waller, Laura Mierlahti, Johanna Lehto, and Maarit Valtonen. 2021. “Self-Reported Restrictive Eating, Eating Disorders, Menstrual Dysfunction, and Injuries in Athletes Competing at Different Levels and Sports.” Nutrients 13(9):3275.
Senecal, Gary. 2017. “Solidarity and camaraderie—A psychosocial examination of contact sport athletes’ career transitions.” Cogent Business & Management 4(1):1280897.
Shander, Karolina, and Trent Petrie. 2021. “Transitioning from sport: Life satisfaction, depressive symptomatology, and body satisfaction among retired female collegiate athletes.” Psychology of Sport and Exercise 57:102045.
Such insight is powerful. With a 23 and a 20 year old competitive skier in my family, this info will make for a healthy and relevant discussion. Thank you Gavin.
To be clear I’d say that Lizzie gets 99 percent of the credit here, at least, for doing the substantive work, but I will take the final fractional credit for publicizing. I am glad that this is helpful.
And not to make this about me, but these are things that I know I think about a lot. This is the three-week spring break for my APU Masters training group, and, like, I don’t even know what to do with myself. Clearly I can train solo, and clearly my coaches need a break, but it’s a sobering reminder of what that structure and community do for me for three sessions a week all the other weeks of the year. And this is speaking as a 42yo parent with kids and school pickup duties and other forms of non-athletic identity; of course it’s rough for someone finishing college.
Great article! I’m a huge fan of US Cross Country Skiers and I often feel like a poser or nerd when I see retired skiers wiz by me at Nordic centers while I ski slowly. Maybe I should at least say hi and build more community with the younger retired racers.
Based on the dozen-ish retired skiers I know, I suspect they would appreciate this. Bonus points if you can offer them a job in your community, or know someone who can.