From the swiming pool to real life: how competitive swimmingshapes post-sport careers

Abstract

Competitive sports can provide both positive and negative experiences in an athlete’s life, becoming a life purpose but also a potential source of frustration and trauma. This study aimed to investigate the influence of competitive swimming on post-athletic life. It is a qualitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive research conducted with 25 former competitive swimmers, including 15 women and 10 men, who had an average of 10.6 (±2.4) years of competitive practice and started the sport at an average age of 6.5 (±2.5) years. Data collection was carried out through structured interviews, analyzed using Content Analysis. The results indicated a predominance of benefits, especially improvements in health and teamwork skills, both during and after the athletic career. Injuries and the difficulty of balancing sport, study, and work were identified as factors contributing to sport abandonment. Thus, it can be stated that when the athletic career is well planned and guided by qualified professionals, the benefits during and after competitive practice outweigh the drawbacks, leading former athletes to maintain a bond with swimming or to feel nostalgia for this life experience.