The phenomenon of high attrition and dropout among novice teachers has been widely recognized as an issue that must be addressed. The current study aimed to explore this phenomenon in the field of physical education (PE). A longitudinal study using a mixed-methods approach was conducted. The participants consisted of 119 novice teachers at three points in time: during, at the end of the first year of internship, and two years after internship. Instruments included questionnaires, a

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... ed telephone survey, and in-depth face-to-face interviews. Results indicated that the majority of novice teachers intended to stay in the profession mainly due to idealistic reasons. Emotional and professional support from senior staff and/or management proved to be important to their decision to persist in the profession. Barriers that were found distinctive to PE included poor working conditions such as a lack of facilities or equipment. Additionally, participants reported discouragement from the discovery that PE was perceived as a less important subject in comparison to other school subjects. The vast majority reported that they had not been sufficiently prepared for the realities of the teaching profession.