A study of the worries that emerge in the career selection of Japanese student athletes.

In recent years, support for the career development of athletes has become an urgent issue in Japan. Student athletes have various issues to consider while deciding on their career paths between achieving milestones in their athletic careers and coming to turning points in their lives. Thus, they have some unique concerns. This study seeks to clarify the structure of consciousness of worries in the career selection of student athletes in Japan. Specifically, through the development of the Japanese student athletes’ worries in career selection scale, the concerns that emerge in the career selection of student athletes are clarified. This study also aims to clarify the differences in the worries of student athletes based on their admission method and athletic performance. A pilot survey was conducted followed by the main survey with 1,121 student athletes across Japan using a questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis revealed that the “career selection worries scale for Japanese student athletes” comprised five factors: “worries related to what would happen after making a career decision,” “worries around the statement of ‘I want to concentrate on athletic activity,’” “worries related to the continuation of athletic activity,” “worries around the statement, ‘I can only do sports,’” and “worries related to the lack of information.” In the analysis of the differences in worries that arise in the career selection of student athletes because of the enrollment methods, it became clear that sports recommendation admission entrants were more likely to have trouble with career selection. In analyzing the differences by athletic performance, it became clear that student athletes with high athletic performance were more likely to encounter “worries related to the continuation of athletic activity.” The results show that a history of athletic activity does not necessarily lead to confidence in career development among student athletes. Although many of them connect their athletic experiences to their confidence in career development, it is important to acknowledge those who do not.