Refereeing as a Post-Athletic Career Option

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Vanessa Bright (Creator)

Stacy Warner (Creator)

Claire Zvosec (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Athletes may be especially primed to become referees, yet we do not know what former athletes think about this career choice. To address the worldwide referee shortage, it is important to better understand athletes’ perceptions of refereeing. From a Career Contingency Model framework, it is evident athletes’ perception would influence their decision to consider refereeing. This study’s aim was to examine athletes’ perceptions of the refereeing environment (RQ1) and identify referee recruitment barriers (RQ2). Utilizing a descriptive phenomenological approach, 23 current and former athletes took part in semi-structured interviews based on their lived experience as an athlete. The participants identified the officiating environment as a High Stress Environment with Financial Instability, while Time and Lack of Knowledge and Support were identified as recruitment barriers. The results contributed to the burgeoning line of research attempting to address the global referee shortage and provide both theoretical and practical implications for sport managers.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Bright, Vanessa, Warner, Stacy, & Zvosec. Claire. (2022). Refereeing as a Postathletic Career Option. Journal of Sport Management. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2021-0268.

Language: English

Date: 2023

Subjects

Referee;Athletic Career;Sports Officals;sport officiating

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