Retrospective and concurrent perspectives of the transition into senior professional female football within the United Kingdom

Abstract In the United Kingdom (UK), professional female football has grown exponentially in recent years, including with advent of Women's Super League. Given this growth, present study aimed to (a) explore junior-to-senior transition UK players (i.e., perceived demands, barriers, resources, and coping strategies); (b) analyze how changes context increased professionalization) influenced players' perception transition. Six soccer from two groups took part study; senior athlete (N = 3) transitional athletes (N = 3). To acquire a holistic understanding, semi-structured interviews were conducted all athletes. Results highlighted appeared have different JST experience compared group, difference attributed professionalization football. particular, demands associated being dual career greater difficulty balancing competing demands. As result, also engaged more strategies. This provides valuable findings relation increasing UK.