Preparing for Life After Sports

So many athletes haven’t even faced their toughest challenge yet: life after sports. Without practice, busy schedules, competition, and coaches, who are you? What do you want out of life? What’s the plan now? These are all normal and valid questions. It can even feel like heartbreak and/or loss— but it doesn’t have to. Athletes who develop emotional awareness and learn effective coping methods are better equipped to handle change. With preparation and intentional check-ins, this transition can be smoother and healthier.

Why This Transition Matters

• Identity shift: When sports have defined you for so long, post-athletic life can feel depressing, confusing, and even jarring.

• Mental health risk: Retired athletes report increased rates of declining emotional wellness in comparison to other peers.

• Loss of structure: Without the adrenaline rush of all that athletics encapsulates, it’s easy to feel uninspired or removed.

Recent stories add to the urgency of this issue. Olympic champion, Trey Hardee, shared about his deep struggles with depression post-athletics, and the International Olympic Committee has since extended more mental health resources for athletes outside of competition. The NCAA’s latest survey shows that while athletes' mental health and wellness have improved since the pandemic, many still report elevated stress and burnout.

How to Prepare

1. Build Emotional Awareness: Check in with yourself CONSTANTLY. Whether you like to journal, speak about your emotions, or do an activity that helps reduce the buildup of stress.

2. Find Yourself in Other Roles: You are a HUMAN first. You are more than your sport. Explore other roles, experiences, and environments that interest you before your career ends.

3. Transition in Moderation: Whenever you can, participate in athletics with extracurricular activities on the side such as internships, side projects, or courses. Sudden withdrawal is more challenging to manage than a planned change.

4. Enhance Support Systems: Stay in touch with teammates, coaches, athletic staff, etc, but also network and make connections outside of athletics. Community is key to identity and wellness.

In a Nutshell…

Life after sports doesn’t mean it’s the end; if anything, it’s an entirely brand new beginning. Athletes who value and embrace emotional intelligence, prepare in advance, and find support are more likely to have long-term success and wellness. 

Your athletic career may have shaped you, but it doesn’t define you or your future. With preparation and much awareness, you can smoothly transition into the next chapter of your life with strength, certainty, and purpose.