本研究はハンドボールの女性アスリートのキャリア育成に関する実態とその課題に向けた取り組みを行った。研究手法はアスリートが所属する日本リーグの全９クラブに『目標設定』・『コミュニケーション』・『考える力』などのライフスキルの心理尺度（10尺度40項目）を実施し、日本代表経験や所属母体や（企業チームやクラブチームなどの所属チーム）によって、ライフスキル獲得レベルに差や意識について違いが見られるかどうかを調査した。結果は『目標設定』をはじめとするいくつかの尺度で有意な差が見られた（その他についてはオリパラ終了まで公表はできない）。
次にライフスキルの意識の高い選手5名を中心に3回にわたり勉強会を開催した。「ハンドボールの競技を通じた自身の成長」をテーマに講師として登壇するが、対象となった小中学生のライフスキルが獲得されただけでなく、これが機会となり講師であるアスリート自身のキャリア形成につながることがヒアリングによって示唆された。しかし、日本代表と所属チームの両方に所属するアスリートは時間の余裕がなく、キャリア形成を無理なく行うための方策が求められることもわかった。今後は所属チームやクラブのなかで、どのようにしてキャリア形成のための準備を行うのかが課題となる。さらにこれに加えて、アスリートの悩みとして結婚や妊娠、育児などのライフステージでの悩みも多く挙げられた。
In this study, we had attempted to grasp the actual situation of career formation (career development) and to find out the issues to resolve.
First, we conducted the questionnaire survey to the athletes who belong to one of 9 club teams of the Japanese national handball league as the research method. We provide 40 questionnaire items based on the phycological scales covers 10 factors such as setting goals, communicating, thinking carefully, and so forth, and tried to examine if there were differences of the levels of life skills acquisition among the subjects according to the experiences of their own. (Experience referred to here is, with or without the experiences as the Japan national player and the different circumstances of the affiliation between company and club team.) As a result, there were significant differences in the findings from some scales like setting goals. (Further details are not allowed to make public until Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics is over.)
Second, we had held study sessions three times for the participants especially for the five athletes who had high level of awareness. Each of them gave the lectures on the following theme;' Growth of myself through the events of handball' to the elementary and junior high school students. Consequently, the students subjected to the audience of every lecture were able to gain the life skills. Moreover, it was suggested that the opportunity to deliver the lectures led to the career development of the said athletes.
However, the players who belong to both the Japanese national team and the team they play for are tight on time. Therefore, it is crucial for the organization they are part of to prepare the support measures for their career formation. In addition, it is also future issue to eliminate their anxieties about the problems on every life stage such as marriage, pregnancy, and child rearing.