Abstract
Deselection, or being cut, is an inevitable aspect of competitive youth sport. Previous research has examined the social consequences of being cut, loss of athletic identity following deselection, as well as how coaches communicate nonselection to youth athletes. However, little is known about the actual experience of being cut. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to gain insight into what it is like for competitive youth athletes to be cut from a sports team. Lived experience descriptions were collected through semi-structured interviews, written accounts, and informal conversations with 7 female participants (M age = 25.6 years). All participants competed in competitive youth sport at the regional or provincial level and were cut from sport between the ages of 13 and 18 years. Analysis was guided by hermeneutic reflection involving eidetic reduction to reveal the invariant aspects of the phenomena. The experience of being cut from a team may be felt keenly, viscerally even, and seems to resonate with young athletes at a physical and emotional level. The initial shock of a deep cut, being cut down to size, an open cut, masking the pain, tears of pain, and a painful scar are themes uncovered in the participants' anecdotes. Although athletes were cut from sport in different ways, the essence of the athletes' experiences are remarkably similar and sharply recognizable. These findings reveal the lived experience of being cut from youth sport and may provide some considerations for coaches and parents of youth athletes.
