Session 6: Spotlight – parenthood and sport
Introduction
[At 35], my perspective on life had started to shift. I had different priorities. …Once the prospect of becoming a mother started to play on my mind, it grew to dominate my thoughts so much that I knew running would have to take a back seat for a while.
So far in this course you have looked at several ‘within career’ transitions that most athletes will experience. In this session you will turn the spotlight to a transition that has become more commonplace in elite sport in recent years with more athletes striving to combine an athletic career with a family life. Even away from the sporting domain, parenthood represents one of the most significant transitional periods in a person’s life. However, when placed in the context of sport it can present several unique challenges.
By the end of this session you should be able to:
- understand parenthood as a transition many athletes face
- recognise the potential impact on an athlete of becoming a parent
- identify how athletes successfully balance parenthood and a career in sport.