The role of mentorship in the professional progression of elite youth cricketers in South Africa

This paper investigates the athlete’s perspective of the role of mentorship in a cricketer’s career progression, from elite youth to the senior arena. A qualitative study explored the understanding and experience of mentorship by the cricketers (n=15). The findings indicated that mentorship played an important role in the cricketers’ career development, irrespective of whether they progressed to the professional arena or not. The study provides a more nuanced understanding of mentorship in professional sports development and career progression from the athlete’s perspective. The unique context of diversity in sport and society in South Africa further impacts the mentorship experience.