Developing and Implementing a Constellation Mentoring Program with Canadian Varsity Soccer Teams

Abstract

Peer mentors can assist first-year student-athletes transitional demands by offering perspectives and resources to support their adjustment processes. Sports psychology practitioners (SPPs) can form mentoring programs to foster supportive relationships between athletes. We authored this manuscript to showcase the development of a constellation mentoring program (CMP), a form of mentoring where student-athletes had multiple mentors, integrated within two Canadian varsity soccer (football) sport contexts. We begin by situating our university context and why the CMP, underpinned by the athletic career transition model and constellation theory, was needed to support first-year student-athletes’ transitions. We then introduce the stages of the program, beginning with its development, spanning its implementation, and ending with an evaluation to gauge its effectiveness. Each stage was informed using student-athletes’ experiences of their demands in their university contexts. We conclude with reflections on mentor training, preparatory planning, team-building activities, and making time for reflective practice to help guide SPPs interested in adapting this program for use within further contexts.

Keywords:

• Constellation mentoring
• dual career student-athlete transition
• soccer
• university
• varsity

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no data were created or analyzed in this study.