FORMATION OF SOCIAL SKILLS AS A KEY TO SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL ADAPTATION OF ATHLETES AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THEIR SPORTS CAREER

Abstract

This article is dedicated to the study of the mechanisms of social competence formation in athletes, which is a key factor for their successful integration into society. In contrast to traditional approaches focused on the physiological component, we have established that sports activity is a unique environment for the development of “soft skills”, such as initiative, leadership, and perseverance. A successful career conclusion and the transition to a new life role are closely correlated with an athlete’s readiness for new social challenges. The aim. The theoretical analysis of existing approaches to the development of social competence of athletes and the substantiation of its key role in the process of social adaptation at different stages of a sports career, as well as in the systematization and classification of key social skills. The study employs theoretical analysis, synthesis, classification, and a systems approach to examine scientific concepts of social adaptation. These methods allowed for the identification of the main components of social competence, tracing their development, and revealing the specifics of skill formation in team and individual sports. The results. The research found that engaging in sports contributes to acquiring important skills such as teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, stress resistance, and discipline. These qualities form the basis for overcoming problems related to social maladaptation after a sports career ends. It is substantiated that the purposeful development of these skills is a necessary condition for an athlete’s successful transition to a new professional and social role. It was also established that the quality of the sports environment, the coach’s role, and positive communication are more significant for the development of social skills than the type of sport itself (team or individual). The research confirms that the orientation of educational programs toward the holistic development of the individual is a necessary condition for building social competence, which not only ensures high athletic performance but also creates a foundation for the further successful social integration of athletes.