“Next Person Up”: Understanding Collegiate Student-Athletes’ Socialization Experiences With Teammate Exit

Abstract

The present study explored collegiate student-athletes’ socialization experiences following teammate exit. Fourteen student-athletes (six male and eight female) from nonrevenue-generating sports at two universities (a Division I and a Division II) participated in semistructured interviews. Three major focuses structured this study: (a) meaning attributed to teammate exit, (b) alteration of student-athletes’ tasks and roles, and (c) changes to student-athletes’ relationships with teammates and coaches. The results showed consistent themes amongst participants in terms of meanings attached to types of exits (e.g., exhausted eligibility and removal from team) and alterations to tasks, roles, and relationships. Overall, the study provides a theoretical shift from previous transitional literature by focusing on the remaining team members rather than the exiting athlete, as well as validating the organizational structures and processes by which collegiate teams function, which adds information about organizing and enacting communicative processes of sport. Lastly, practical implications are provided for coaches and sport management to maintain team relations and optimize team performance following athlete exit.