Restructuring Elderly Social Relations: Multidimensional Identification and Distinction in an Amateur Football Club

After entering old age, individuals will generally experience a stage of restructuring social relations. This study, starting from "individuals-interpretations", told the stories of several elderly players who played football in an amateur football club (including me), and wrote the process of their reconstruction of social relations, thus to appeal for "holistic thinking" of elderly sports. Based on the field investigation, it is found that their process of the reconstruction of social relations continued their regular sports practice before old age. Compared with their peers, playing football symbolized health, youth, happiness and vitality, so as to realize the identification and distinction with the general elderly. They gained cross-age identification and distinction in the club by constantly defeating young people. With their further constant football practice, they won identification and distinction in the holistic social sense through being referees, coaches and others. Finally, the elderly life based on football practice was built and social relations were reconstructed.