Preparing for the Next Chapter - Life After Sports

Regardless of whether sports is a presence in your life after participating in Babe Ruth League, high school, or college, as a member of the athletic community the lessons you learned in sports will inevitably translate into various realms of life in the “real world.” And with today’s work force, the values and skills tied to being an athlete are more relevant now than ever.

Such life skills learned in athletics that will help you after sports include: 

• Relying on and enabling teammates is a learned skill that is prominent when you apply for a job.
• Athletes have an advantage when it comes to hard work, time management, communication skills, and dedication.
• Down time isn’t something a student-athlete is too familiar with.  Other people need to find the motivation to keep going but for student-athletes it’s not much of a problem.”
• Athletes excel in whatever industry they chose to pursue simply because they are used to not being satisfied with mediocre.
• Constantly trying to achieve your best is something that employers and networkers admire.  Your skills as an athlete can be applied to every industry out there.
• The transition from athlete to employee can be challenging.  It’s not necessarily an easy transition for all people but it’s also not necessarily hard either.  Athletics play an important role in self-identity and shaping personality.
• The everyday routine of being with your co-workers and meeting your work goals and deadlines will remind you of being an athlete.  It is almost the same as your game practice routines and then having a goal or drive to win.
• Teamwork is arguably the most important takeaway from being an athlete. Every person who participated in sports agree that the lessons learned from working together and ability to communicate to a group are the most applicable to the professional world.

As a former athlete when you apply for a position, emphasize to the hiring manager that you are capable of functioning on a team, of being a leader, of managing your time and prioritizing what matters.  Stress that you enjoy competition and performing under pressure. Emphasis of such traits and behaviors will go a long way in ensuring confidence in the hiring manager that you are dedicated and recognize the value of hard work.