Challenges facing retired athletes in China in their transition to physical education teachers

In recent years, the State General Administration of Sport of China has been exploring opportunities for outstanding retired athletes to enter schools as part-time physical education (PE) teachers and has taken a series of measures to facilitate their career transition. However, some studies have pointed out that despite increasing policy support, retired athletes still face many challenges in the transition process. Utilizing a narrative inquiry methodology, six retired athletes from different sports in China were interviewed to gain insights into the challenges they faced when transitioning to become PE teachers, and their experiences of transitions. Five themes were identified: (1) limited cultural and PE theoretical knowledge, (2) difficulty in transitioning professional roles and psychological adaptation, (3) social stereotypes of athletes, (4) marginalization of PE, and (5) insufficient government support. This study explored the pathways of career transition for retired athletes, providing new perspectives for understanding their adaptation process. Although the participants experienced relatively smooth transitions through personal efforts and coping strategies, this does not imply that other retired athletes do not encounter similar challenges during their transitions.