Transitioning from a college or professional sports into the ‘real world’ brings forth a unique set of challenges for athletes. My time in school was defined by discipline, teamwork, and competition. Yet, I quickly realized that my new life as a former athlete would require a lot of adjustments. Having to utilize new professional skills, prioritizing my mental and physical health, and learning how to set my own goals was extremely challenging at times. The great thing was, my background as an athlete helped me prepare for those changes as well as other adversities that came after my playing days were over.
If you’re a recent-grad, soon-to-be-grad, or if you’re wondering what life after sports might look like, here are ten situations I faced along with how I adjusted after I graduated from school.
10 Adjustments I Made After College Basketball
Career Transition: Transitioning from a collegiate athletic career to the professional world involves identifying career paths, building relevant skills, and translating your athletic experiences into valuable assets in the job market. This can be a huge adjustment, especially when the majority of your time hasn’t centered around a job or career. Give yourself grace, and take one day at a time. After I graduated, I did my best to work hard every day, and not get discouraged that I wasn’t an expert yet. Just like it took time to get to the Division I level, working my way up the ladder at within my career would take time as well.
Identity Shift: Adjusting to a new identity outside of being an athlete may involve redefining your self-worth, personal goals, and passions beyond sports. For me, it was weird not having a team to vibe with, recognizable sweats to wear, or other things that I used to associate with my life as an athlete. Take time to understand who you are, outside of your career in sports. You might still enjoy working out, competing, or being involved in high school, college or professional sports. While this was the case for me, I decided to set a new set of goals for myself that would help me navigate who I was and what would be important to me after college sports was finished.
Physical Health Maintenance: It is crucial to develop a new fitness regimen after your sports career comes to an end. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle long after your official playing days are over can provide you with significant benefits long and short term. Over the years, I’ve learned how to maintain my health, even on days when I don’t have time to workout. Being physically active, scheduling workouts and focusing on my nutrition has helped me feel good and maintain my energy levels.
Mental Health Support: As a former athlete it’s critical to learn how to cope with the loss of your structured athletic environment. This time period might also come with potential identity struggles, performance-related stress, and the need for support in managing mental health challenges. Working with a therapist has been one of the best things I’ve done for my mental health, and honestly I wish I had started sooner. Learning how to speak with a professional was an adjustment but a huge benefit, especially when making such significant life changes.
Networking and Professional Relationships: I’ve found this phrase to be true: it’s not what you know, but who you know. Building professional networks and relationships outside of the sports world, including connecting with mentors, colleagues, and industry professionals can truly affect your professional journey. I saw early how networking can make an enormous impact on your career, especially when it comes to receiving guidance and direction throughout your career.
Financial Planning: Learning how to manage your finances, including budgeting, saving, and investing, without the financial support often provided by athletic scholarships can be an adjustment. After receiving my first few paychecks, I didn’t consider how much further my money would stretch by putting a little aside each week. If you can’t afford the fee of working with a financial advisor (heads up, a lot of us can’t lol), take a few minutes to address your financial situation, create goals and put a plan together to help you attain financial freedom.
Time Management: Adjusting to a less structured schedule can be a challenge too. Now that you are in control of balancing work, personal commitments, and potential further education or scheduling training sessions, how do you make time for all of that?. I went from having almost every moment of my week being scheduled in school, to having so much free time! I didn’t have to start my day with a 6am workout, and get in study hall hours before 9pm. My best adjustment was to schedule my time and focus on activities that would help me grow as a person. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve prioritized scheduling down time as well to ensure my mental health is in check.
Reconnecting with Non-Athletic Interests: Explore and reconnect with hobbies, interests, and passions outside of sports that may have been neglected during their collegiate athletic career. I used to love art and cooking before I got to college. I barely had the time for any non-athletic hobbies as a DI athlete. After school, I found time to enjoy those activities more and still enjoy doing them today.
Transitioning Social Circles: Building new social connections and support systems outside of the athletic community is a thing. At the same time, maintaining relationships with former teammates can be hard, especially when you’re going back to your home state or pursuing different interests personally and professionally. Again, give yourself grace with this adjustment and keep in touch with former teammates. Make time to find a new community of friends in folks that have common interests as you do.
Setting New Goals and Ambitions: Identifying and pursuing new goals and ambitions beyond sports might take time. Whether you’re focusing on career advancement, personal development, or community involvement, take some time to find out what you want in the first few months/years after you graduate, what you would like to achieve, and what will help you feel fulfilled.
Transitioning out of collegiate or professional sports marks the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of former athletes. While the journey beyond the field may present challenges, it also offers opportunities for personal growth, self-discovery, and the pursuit of new passions. By recognizing and addressing the unique situations that you face, you’ll be able to navigate the transition with resilience, adaptability, and a renewed sense of purpose. Ultimately, the skills and lessons you learn from your athletic career can serve as a solid foundation for success in various aspects of life beyond sports.