About ATTACH-U
ATTACH-U is an Erasmus+ Sport project supporting athletes in the transition beyond elite sport. It focuses especially on athletes approaching the end of their sporting careers and helps them prepare for life after sport through mentoring, learning, and practical career pathways.
The project was created in response to a clear need: while athletes develop valuable strengths through sport, the transition out of sport can still be challenging on a personal, social, and professional level. ATTACH-U helps make that transition more supported, more structured, and more achievable.
Why ATTACH-U?
The end of a sports career is rarely just a career change. It can also involve changes in identity, daily routines, social relationships, confidence, and future direction. Many athletes need earlier support, clearer guidance, and better ways to recognise and communicate the skills they have built through sport.
ATTACH-U responds to these needs by creating practical tools and support models that help athletes move forward with confidence.
What ATTACH-U develops
ATTACH-U develops athlete transition support in four connected areas:
Guidance and Mentoring
Supporting athletes through transition with practical guidance, mentoring, and peer-based support.
Entrepreneurship
Helping athletes explore self-employment, business ideas, and entrepreneurial thinking as a future pathway.
Coaching
Supporting athletes who want to build a future in coaching by connecting sporting experience with modern coaching competence.
B2B Sales
Creating new pathways into business-to-business sales by helping athletes translate their strengths into a professional business context.
How the project works
ATTACH-U combines research, athlete perspectives, educational development, and international cooperation. The project develops and tests practical tools, learning content, and support models that can be used by athletes and by organisations working with them.
The work of the project moves from development to piloting, dissemination, and long-term use, with the aim of creating results that remain valuable beyond the project period.
Who is it for?
ATTACH-U is designed for:
- athletes nearing the end of their sporting careers
- former athletes exploring new career directions
- coaches and sport organisations
- educators and training providers
- employers and other stakeholders interested in athlete transition
Expected impact
ATTACH-U aims to strengthen athletes’ confidence, employability, and readiness for life beyond sport. At the same time, it supports organisations in building better systems for guidance, mentoring, and career development.
Our long-term goal is to contribute to a stronger transition culture in sport — one that recognises athletes not only for what they achieve during their careers, but also for what they can become after them.
Erasmus+ Sport
ATTACH-U is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Sport programme of the European Union.
Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.