When the World Stops Watching : Is There Life After Sport?

by Lawlor

ISBN: 9781785303128

Published: 2020-09

Who am I now? That's the dilemma facing many elite athletes when they stop chasing their dreams and transition into retirement. Far too young for slippers and often at an age when non-sporting peers are still climbing the career ladder . . . For decades, they've trained relentlessly, dedicated to the pursuit of glory - to victory and to defeat. They've made unimaginable sacrifices, sidestepped the trappings of 'ordinary' life, invested blood, sweat and tears to represent their people on local, national and international stages. Along the way they've formed tight-knit communities and friendships. Adhering to rigid training schedules, out-of-step with loved ones, they become somewhat institutionalised. But such steadfast, single-minded obsession cannot last forever. When that final whistle sounds, these athletes retire, often left behind by fans and team-mates. An overwhelming uncertainty lingers: 'What now?' Post-sport, life is daunting. From incredible highs to earth-shattering...