Factors contributing to the quality of the junior-to-senior transition in Greek athletes

The aim of this study was to investigate which factors contribute to the quality of the junior-to-senior transition (JST) which includes adjustment to senior level, sport and life satisfaction in Greek athletes. The sample consisted of 177 aspiring young Greek athletes who were in the process of JST. Participants completed a Greek version of the Transition Monitoring Survey (TMS) developed by Stambulova et al. (Stambulova, N., Franck, A., & Weibull, F. (2012). Assessment of the transition from junior-to-senior sports in Swedish athletes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 70(2), 79-95). Multiple regressions were used to assess how key factors related to the JST contribute to the adjustment of athletes to senior level in sport, to their sport and life satisfaction. Results showed that personal resources (p < .0001), environmental support (p = .008) and transition demands (p=.02) were the strongest predictors of adjustment to senior level in sport. To facilitate the JST process, special attention needs to be given to the development of personal resources prior to the JST. Given the significant role demands play in adjustment, an environment which adopts an approach of "supported challenge" can help athletes be better prepared for the JST and facilitate progression towards senior level.