Life at the Bottom of the Mountain: A Second Chance for the International Elite Alpine Skier
| dc.contributor.author | Hernandez, Vicente Tomas | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-03-18T03:43:36Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-03-18T03:43:36Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2000 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Every year a good number of elite international alpine skiers disengage from their teams and countries and come to the U.S. to participate in intercollegiate alpine skiing. However, nothing has been written in the sport psychology literature about the reasons why these athletes make such moves in their careers. The purpose of this study was to describe the retirement experience of elite international alpine skiers. The author of this project was an elite alpine skier himself and was specifically interested in finding out if the "interscholastic experience" of the subjects that participated in this study was beneficial or not. The major focus of the investigation was to determine if such an experience helped them to have a more gradual exit from the sport as they transited into mainstream society. Participants in this study were .eight former elite international alpine skiers who had competed internationally and interscholastically at a high level. A qualitative design was utilized. Because of the emphasis on the subject as the expert, in depth interviews were conducted, as well as a survey interview with each participant. Several themes appeared to be significant. However, two major themes emerged above all during the interviews: (a) the support after disengagement of the international alpine skier was inadequate and (b) interscholastic skiing in the U.S. was a positive option at the time of disengagement. These findings suggest that better support back in their countries of origin (e.g. educational programs) is needed for the elite athlete during and after their participation in elite alpine skiing. Support programs that would assist these athletes to have a better adaptation when entering mainstream society after their disengagement from elite alpine skiing. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11803/2995 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher.institution | John F. Kennedy University (JFKU) | |
| dc.title | Life at the Bottom of the Mountain: A Second Chance for the International Elite Alpine Skier | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Sport Psychology | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | John F. Kennedy University (JFKU) | |
| thesis.degree.level | Masters | |
| thesis.degree.name | Masters of Art in Sport Psychology |