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There is growing interest in how athletes' physical activity participation may be impacted when they transition out of competitive sport; however, few studies have examined the process of physical activity transitions in collegiate student-athletes using a qualitative approach. The purpose of our study was to explore student-athletes' perceptions of, and experiences with, physical activity in the transition out of collegiate sport. Our analysis of transcripts from 13 focus groups conducted with current and former student-athletes (n = 59) suggests that student-athletes experienced a journey from control to liberation as they transitioned into their postcompetitive lives. In this exciting yet challenging transitional journey, participants were faced with navigating newfound autonomy over their physical activity outside of the controlled environment of collegiate sports and were considering the value and meaning of physical activity within a health promoting context. We offer practical recommendations from these findings to support student-athletes in this transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two American collegiate football linemen completed physical activity surveys, anthropometric assessments, dietary recalls, and blood draws across a 20-month period during which Player A continued training professionally in football while Player B transitioned out of the sport after his final collegiate season. Few changes were observed for Player A, whereas notable changes in physical activity, body mass, and endocrine factors associated with metabolic regulation were noted in Player B. Considerable alterations in physical activity and biomarkers occurred in the immediate transition out of competitive football, suggesting the possibility of long-term health consequences in the absence of future positive lifestyle behavioral changes. Alternatively, the adoption or maintenance of health behaviors could reverse risks. With a greater emphasis on lifespan wellness, this level 2 exploratory case series illustrates a key opportunity for athletic trainers to monitor athletes' cardiometabolic risks over an extended period and implement transitional care strategies to promote postcompetitive health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]