Career Transitions: Navigating Players from Youth Team to First Team

Citation

Kent S, Morris R & Kelly AL (2023) Career Transitions: Navigating Players from Youth Team to First Team. In: Kelly A (ed.) Talent Identification and Development in Youth Soccer: A Guide for Researchers and Practitioners. New York: Routledge, pp. 121-131. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032232799-9

Abstract
In England alone, there is an estimated 12,500 young players aged between 9 and 16 years contracted to professional soccer academies. These players will encounter several critical career transitions throughout their lifespan that can potentially threaten their well-being and performance. With this in mind, this chapter will present three key career transitions, including: (a) deselection, (b) youth-to-senior, and (c) loans. In doing so, a definition, description, and comprehensive overview of each transition will be offered. Following this, the chapter presents considerations for future research, particularly regarding the utilisation of stress-based models and theories to design, deliver, and evaluate various interventions. From an applied perspective, this chapter will also offer key implications for practitioners to better support the transition experiences of academy soccer players that may influence both well-being and performance.