First team schoolboy rugby players' understanding of their future career trajectories

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Over the past two decades, the growing global popularity of rugby has led to professional rugby becoming a lucrative career prospect with bigger contracts, sponsorships and increased specialization in the sport. It is, therefore, not surprising that many high-school learners aspire to become professional players. However, only a small percentage of these players may fulfil their ambitions.This study explored how first-team rugby players at school understand their future career paths, and how they plan for it. The investigation also explored how rugby players perceive their identity, the role of rugby in this regard and their understanding of the transitions inherent to a career in rugby.A social constructionist and systemic meta-theoretical framework was employed to shed light on the findings. It focused on how participants' reality can be shaped through social interaction, but also through cultural and historical influences.For this qualitative study, seven participants were selected by means of purposive sampling. Selection criteria stipulated that the participants had to be in grade 11 or 12, and in their school's first-team rugby squad. Data were collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews, followed by a focus-group interview. The coach of the first team and the grade-12 head teacher also completed an open-ended questionnaire. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. The three main themes derived were identity formation, the notion of rugby and career opportunities. Each theme consisted of various subthemes and categories of codes.The findings indicated that the participants regard the first three years after completing school as a crucial period and an indicator for a successful future career in rugby. The process of identity formation, arising from participation as first-team players, influenced the way they perceived and planned for their future careers. Selection for a provincial side strongly influenced the career aspirations of the participants. It might be useful to develop scholastic and career counselling programmes to facilitate the holistic development of talented schoolboy rugby players in South Africa. Such programmes can focus on a balanced development of sport specific and academic skills, including psychological and practical preparation for the very specific nature of a career as a professional rugby player.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University