Support

Student athletes that have recently graduated are walking away from a slew of resources, support, guidance and structure. In college the natural support system that was built in included sport specific coaches, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, mental performance coaches, dieticians, chiropractors, tutors, sports information directors, teammates, captains, directors of operations, facility managers, videographers, life skills coordinators, professors, teaching assistants, deans, volunteers, fans and advisors.

The day after graduation all of these support systems have changed or are gone.

The systems in place such as practice schedules, class schedules, competitions and travel schedules are also gone. There is so much that these now former student athletes have to figure out for themselves. While they learned many skills in college and college athletics, the transition away from all of that support and those systems to a completely different lifestyle can take a long time to adjust to.

One way to create a support system is to identify the areas you need support.

Once you have identified what support was beneficial to you in your time as a college athlete, you can search for those areas of support in your current life. If a coach was a large part of helping you grow as an individual, you can now look for a life coach to guide you through your current life challenges. If a strength and conditioning coach was beneficial to your physical health, you may look into t a personal trainer or a group fitness class led by a coach which may be more cost effective. Did a dietician help you curate a meal plan that best suited you? Maybe spend some time with that information and get a cook book or a meal delivery service to help support your nutritional needs. Maybe it was a team that was a large part of your growth. You can look to join an adult softball, kickball or tennis league to create that team atmosphere again.

What is most important is to remember that you can not and should not do this alone.

Remember that you arrived to this point in your life with the guidance, support and encouragement from so many people, groups, systems and organizations. And to keep moving forward towards what you want, it is key to continue seeking out those areas and levels of support. To reach the next stage in your life, surround yourself with the people and tools that will lift you up and believe in you as you chase your dreams!

You deserve it and your future self deserves it.