The impact of sport specialisation on the lived experience and development of collegiate softball players

Many athletes see sport specialisation as a strategy for further leveraging their athletic talent and improving their chances of admission and scholarship to highly selective colleges and universities. While specialisation might afford an opportunity for increased athletic success, there are also reported drawbacks to this approach (e.g., burnout, injury, social isolation, mental illness, and increased resentment to sport). The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Division I softball players related to sport specialisation and athletic development. Researchers used a descriptive phenomenological approach. Four collegiate softball players were interviewed with open-ended questions. The players’ lived experiences of sport specialisation were illustrated through some of the overarching themes: (1) the journey to sport specialisation, (2) self-determination for elite performance, and (3) life after youth softball.