Within recent years, the effect of burnout in the student athlete (SA) experience has become of increased interest in sports research. The transition to further and higher education can prove stressful for any student (Hudd et al., 2005), however the combined demands of athletic and academic identities and responsibilities have been suggested to cultivate greater levels of stress and subsequent burnout, than those the average student may experience (Pritchard & Wilson, 2005). Research have evolved over the past 30 years, however, to date it has focussed on quantitative understandings utilising the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) and predominantly in American Collegiate athletes. This has highlighted the need for a more holistic understanding of burnout, considering the unique antecedents and consequences faced by the United Kingdom (UK) SA population, particularly in relation to team sport (TS). This study adopts a qualitative approach, exploring the experiences of SAs that may facilitate burnout and the consequences thereafter, through semi-structured interviews with eight participants. It established that whilst the manifestation and consequences of burnout differed dramatically from SA to SA, team dynamics and social support have a significant effect, especially in buffering negative experiences and prevention of ultimate withdrawal from sport. Furthermore, it highlights the need for more organisational structure and support within UK universities for this demographic. Future research may result in practical applications regarding infrastructure that can best support our TS SAs.
Interview transcripts have been removed.
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