More Than An Athlete: Navigating Life Outside of Sports

There is a common question that often lingers in the back of our minds until we are left with no other choice but to address it, “Who am I if I am not playing sports?” As an athlete, so much of our lives are centered around our sports. This includes our routine, physical health, mental health, the friends we make, the mentors we meet, and sometimes even down to the food we consume and how much and often we consume. It can take up so much time, we sometimes fail to leave room to explore other parts of ourselves.
Less than 10% of high school athletes go on to play in college and of that, only about 2% will go on to play in the pros. Within those numbers, there are also sports-ending injuries, illnesses, and burnout that factor into why people stop playing as well. This is not to deter anyone from pursuing their dreams. This is simply to show that life as an athlete does indeed have an end, whether we know when that time is coming or not. When we have yet to explore other interests in life, this ending can seem detrimental and weigh heavily on our mental health. This can cause us to feel lost, depressed, hopeless, and even angry. In worse cases, it can lead us to act out of character and cling to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
No one will negate the ending of anything that brought us so much joy in life can be sad. It is more than okay to allow yourself to feel those emotions. It is just as important to realize your purpose lies well beyond the court/field/etc.

Here are 6 tips that can help you prepare for life outside of sports!

• ●  Explore early. You don’t have to wait until you stop playing to pick up new hobbies or explore other interests! Be intentional about scheduling time to do other activities you enjoy!

  ●  Make friends outside your sport. Do your best to form bonds with people who don’t play sports. It is beneficial to surround yourself with people of different experiences/backgrounds. It helps to see other ways people are spending their time and enjoying their life!

  ●  Stay involved. Just because you stopped playing does not mean you can’t still be involved. There are many ways people remain involved: such as coaching, training, commentating, recruiting, or managing. Find what works best for you!

  ●  Practice Mindfulness. Sometimes even the thought alone of not playing anymore can feel overwhelming. It helps to engage in different mindfulness techniques to ground yourself when these feelings arise. This can look like going for a walk, meditating, breathing exercises, journaling, reading, talking to a trusted friend, getting in a workout, etc.

  ●  Reach out to former athletes. If you know someone who had to make the same adjustments as you soon will, it may help to reach out to see how they best handled the situation. If you find what they say to be helpful, keep them around. It is valuable to have people in our lives who are models for where we want to be in life.

  ● Seek out help. If you are struggling to navigate this adjustment alone, seek a professional. There is nothing wrong with asking for help! Their are plenty professionals available who would be happy to assist you through this stage in life!

   Recognizing that therapy can help your child is a great, first step. Take the next step by reaching out to a therapist to start the process.

  Troi Jefferson, M.A., Registered Associate MFT #137030, Registered APCC #12644 is supervised by Curt Widhalm LMFT #47333

(n.d.). NCAA RECRUITING FACTS. National Collegiate Athletic Association. https://www.nfhs.org/media/886012/recruiting-fact-sheet-web.pdf

(n.d.). NCAA Recruiting Facts. College Sports Create a Pathway to Opportunity for Student-Athletes. https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/compliance/recruiting/NCAA_RecruitingFactSheet.pdf