More than a game: a narrative analysis of life stories of elite and professional athletes

Sport has always been more than a game and can contribute to the personal growth of people. The present study uses qualitative approach to explore the stories of Olympic and elite athletes tell about their journey as an athlete and the impact sports had on their lives. Also the study examines the importance of sports as an important context for learning life skills. For the purpose of the study, in-depth interviews were used to capture the experiences of both male and female elite athletes.  Total of 12 elite athletes between the ages of 20 and 60 years (mean= 40), who had participated in the Olympic, Asian Games, Common Wealth, World Championship, National Championships etc.within their chosen sport. A variety of sports and sports types were included within the sample with participants from different sports (wrestling, swimming, basketball, cricket and open waters), and both team and individual sports were represented.  The data was analysed using a combination of Narrative Analysis and Thematic Analysis. The finding provide an insight about deep seated motives an elite athletes and how did sports contributed to other aspect of their lives.