The sports landscape is transforming. The reach of professional athletes has grown to every spectrum of business, entertainment, and society overall. In years past, the rare superstar athlete retired into a life of continued opportunity. Today, pro athletes leverage their celebrity to participate in investment vehicles for other industries, like fashion, or use digital platforms to launch their own media companies.
With substantial social media followings– younger athletes are starting the process of leveraging their celebrity and the following they have at an even earlier stage, some as early as high school. The successful legal battles of O’Bannon vs. NCAA and Alston vs. The NCAA successfully challenged the notion of amateurism in college sports, and pending cases are reshaping the landscape for athletes in a way that is unrecognizable for many of us who have spent many years in the sports world.
I’m often asked what I think of the current sports landscape and whether the changes we are witnessing are suitable for athletes and sports overall. Like everything, there are trade-offs—sure, too much too soon may be given to younger athletes and have a detrimental impact on them. But, mostly, I am excited about the opportunities I see young athletes receiving. I view it as the natural growth and evaluation of things.
Just as my contemporaries and I benefited from those before us. This era of athletes benefits from Maya Moore, Reggie Bush, Zion Williamson, and the other greats who were a little before their time. We have read the stats of just how short the average career is– honestly, with the time spent training and practicing, collegiate athletes have been on the schedule of a professional athlete for a long time, which makes all the opportunities young athletes are receiving even more fitting and long overdue.
However, in a time of immense opportunity, it has become even more critical for athletes (regardless of level) to develop the skills to leverage opportunities on the court and the field of life beyond. A lot of focus is being spent on the monetary benefits athletes receive– and again, the money young athletes receive is excellent and past due.
Still, parents, coaches, and administrators should not forget to encourage young athletes to develop the skills that will help them take full advantage of all the opportunities in front of them, whether it is a career in the pros or their player careers ending in high school or college. In my experience, having a plan, valuing and building strong relationships, and developing a curiosity to continue learning.
1. Game plan
One of the hardest things for any athlete to do is think about their playing days ending, but it is also inevitable. For many athletes, college will end their time as a full-time athlete; for a select few, they are fortunate to continue competing at a high level as professionals. We know the time is coming, but we often don’t spend adequate time thinking about what impact we want to have beyond our playing careers, what brings us joy and purpose off the court or field, and what things we need to do to prepare for life after being an athlete.
I encourage all athletes to embrace the mortality of being an athlete– knowing your playing has an expiration date should empower you to take full advantage of your time competing, to go for it, but also plan for your future. I encourage all young athletes I meet to spend time thinking about the impact they want to have not just on the court but off the court in their communities, to explore what brings them joy and fulfills them, and explore what they want to learn to prosper and succeed off the court and field as they did in their sport.
2. Build your team
All athletes intuitively understand the power of relationships and the essential nature of helping and being helped by others to reach your goals in the case of sports to win! Even the athletes I know that competed in individual sports didn’t reach their goals independently. They had a team, coaches, trainers, and family that supported them along their journey. The need for a strong team never stops. We are always better together than alone. I can’t think of anyone who achieved anything meaningful and did it alone. Being a good teammate is essential to the success of a team.
However, we often neglect the importance of building our team or relationships off the court or field. As athletes, you meet so many amazing people, and taking the time to get to know people in your circle or have an interest in learning from people is an invaluable habit and skill. I have learned so much from people with whom I have built relationships over the years. It is always important for young people, not just athletes, to get in the habit of getting to know people. You will be surprised by what you can learn from them, how they help you, or how you can help them.
3. Be a student of the game
It is understood that to be great in your sport, you have to study. You have to be a student of the game. We hear about great runners studying their running mechanics, quarterbacks studying reads and defenses, or how great players made a particular move.
The habit of learning is so crucial for athletes to carry forward in every other aspect of their lives. With all the opportunities presented to young athletes, it is more vital than ever that athletes educate themselves on the ever-evolving landscape of sports just to be informed. Still, for their life beyond the court or field, coaches, parents, and mentors must encourage curiosity that will lead to the appreciation of continual learning. Access and interest in athletics provide a great learning opportunity for young athletes; civic engagement, financial planning, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and many other areas are a part of many athletes’ lives as early as high school.
Athletics provide so many valuable lessons and skills that transfer to life beyond sport. Being a lifetime learner is one that is often overlooked. Building consistent learning habits is the key: reading, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, taking classes, and seeking out people to learn from are some of the things I try to routinely do to keep learning. With continual advancements in technology, there is virtually nothing you can’t learn about or pursue.
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