Policy Push

Influencing Strategy (pdf) supports to guide the process you can take to develop your strategy when attempting to influence dual career policy in your regional or national system.

Benefits of Dual Career (pdf) and the corresponding Benefits of Dual Career – Presentation (pptx) provides an overview of key areas in which investments in sport systems that allow dual careers can benefit society. Within each area, there is consideration of either the economic, social, or labour perspective, with most areas covering a combination of these. The initial overview of benefits outlines the numerous arguments that can be used when promoting the need for increased consideration or investment in the area of dual careers. These key facts could also be utilized to promote support within other groups who may face specific challenges, such as musicians, dancers, refugees, those with a disability, carers, etc.

1. Read the document Benefits of Dual Career (pdf) as a basis for your upcoming strategy.
2. Use Influencing Strategy (pdf) to collect and systematize your influencing arguments. If required, use the corresponding Benefits of Dual Career – Presentation (pptx) according to your specific situation. (Install the free Google Font Poppins to display the presentation correctly and adapt the slides.) Phrase each statement to effectively target your audience, with the possibility to use positive or negative language dependent upon the circumstance and the desired outcomes.
3. Put your developed strategy into action.

• Aquilina, D., & Henry, I. (2010): Elite Athletes and University Education in Europe A Review of Policy and Practice in Higher Education in The European Member States (Summary)
• Capranica, L., & Guidotti, F. (2016). Research for cult committee qualifications/dual careers in sports
• De Bosscher, V., De Knop, P. & Vertonghen, J. (2016): A Multidimensional Approach to Evaluate the Policy Effectiveness of Elite Sport Schools in Flanders (Summary)
• European Commission (2013): EU Guidelines on Dual Careers of Athletes
• Riksidrottsförbundet – Swedish Sports Confederation (2018): Swedish National Guidelines for elite athletes’ dual careers – Recommended actions for the combination of high-performance sports and university education at the Swedish National Sports Universities (RIUs) and Elite Sports-Friendly Universities (EVLs)
• Sport Ireland (2022): Six Third Level Institutions Awarded Accreditation for Student Athlete Support
• TASS: The Policy and Practice of Implementing a Student Athlete Support Network – A Case Study (Summary)

European documents

• Duty of Care in Sport (2017): Duty of Care in Sport Review – Independent Report to Government
• European Commission (2007a): Commission staff document: Action plan Pierre de Coubertin, accompanying document to the white paper on sport. Brussels: Directorate-General Education and 695 Culture
• European Commission (2007b): White paper on sport. Brussels: Directorate-General Education and Culture
• European Commission (2011): Developing the European dimension in sport. Brussels: Directorate-General Education and Culture
• European Commission (2012): EU guidelines on dual careers of athletes: Recommended policy actions in support of dual careers in high-performance sport (pp. 1-40)

Research papers

• Babey, S., Wolstein, J., & Diamant, A. (2015): Adolescent Physical Activity. Environment And Behavior, 48(1), 172-191. doi: 10.1177/0013916515609086
• Brosnan, S. (2019): The impact of sports participation on crime in England between 2012 and 2015. Sport In Society, 1-12. doi: 10.1080/17430437.2019.1631805
• McKnight, K., Bernes, K., Gunn, T., Chorney, D., Orr, D., & Bardick, A. (2009): Life after sport: Athletic career termination and transferable skills. Journal of Excellence, 13, 63–77
• Ponizovskiy, P. A. (2013): Addiction in Retired Athletes. In D. A. Baron, C. L. Reardon & S. H. Baron (Eds.), Clinical Sports Psychiatry: An International Perspective. 282 Oxford: John Wiley & Sons. Potrac, P. Jones, R. L., Gilbourn
• Ronkainen, N., Ryba, T., & Selänne, H. (2019): “She is where I’d want to be in my career”: Youth athletes’ role models and their implications for career and identity construction. Psychology of Sport And Exercise, 45, 101562. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.101562
• Schinke, R., Stambulova, N., Si, G., & Moore, Z. (2017): International society of sport psychology position stand: Athletes’ mental health, performance, and development. International Journal Of Sport And Exercise Psychology, 16(6), 622-639. doi: 10.1080/1612197x.2017.1295557
• Stambulova, N., Alfermann, D., Statler, T., & Côté, J. (2009): ISSP Position stand: Career development and transitions of athletes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 7(4), 395-412. doi: 10.1080/1612197x.2009.9671916
• Torregrosa, M., Ramis, Y., Pallarés, S., Azócar, F., & Selva, C. (2015): Olympic athletes back to 19 retirement: A qualitative longitudinal study. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 21, 50-56
• Wylleman, P., Alfermann, D., & Lavallee, D. (2004): Career transitions in sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 5(1), 3-5. doi: 10.1016/s1469-0292(02)00048-1
• Wylleman, P., De Brandt, K., & Defruyt, S. (2017): Gold in education and elite sport: Handbook for dual career support providers
• Wylleman, P., & Reints, A. (2010): A lifespan perspective on the career of talented and elite athletes: Perspectives on high-intensity sports. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports, 20, 88-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01194.

Sporting body documents

• Professional Players Federation (2018): Past Player Research – Summary of initial findings.

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