Analysis of the sports career of brazilian international elite squash athletes

Abstract

The sports career is a process through which the athletes voluntarily seek to achieve high levels of sport performance, however, how the development of international elite squash athletes has occurred in different periods of their sports career is not known. This study aimed at describing and assessing the sport trajectory of Brazilian international elite squash athletes at different periods of their career, in light of dynamic elements, that is, personal engagement, quality relationships and appropriate settings. Semi-structured interviews were carried out based on the Personal Assets Framework (PAF). The interviews were applied to six athletes (three males and three females) and evaluated according to the Thematic Analysis (TA) method. The results showed that personality traits, interpersonal relationships and the sport practice settings enabled the squash players to develop their sports career. In conclusion, these three aspects when acting concurrently can favor the development of international elite squash athletes.