Once the Cheering Stops: The Life of a Retired Pro-Athlete

From the readings, it seems as if in many ways the life of a retired pro-athlete can be mentally and emotionally draining. Athletes are confused after their sport careers as to how to manage their time and resources.  Even more mentally challenging is the idea of not being at the top anymore.  Jeff Chadiha (2012) was quoting Tiki Barber when he said, "it's hard for an athlete because you take a different path when you leave college than other kids.  Once you get into that game [corporate business], your peers are much higher than you and you're 30-something years old.  You feel like you really can't catch up" (7).

Aside from the injuries and hard hits athletes experience throughout their careers, they have been guided and told what and how to do things their whole lives and this is why I believe it is a hard transition for them.  Now, it is up to them to make the decision as for what move needs to be made next.  No longer are they able to go to their coaches and ask how they can improve on their job.  Now, they must turn to the resources they have and find whatever success they can with them.

This is a very difficult subject to develop an opinion on.  One the one hand, you look at the successful sport careers of many of these athletes and you can only praise them for the hard work and dedication they put into their job.  Then, you have to look at their 2nd careers outside of sport and judge them on how well they can perform a task off the field.  The real question I think we need to ask about them is "was it all worth it?"