Once an Athlete, Always an Athlete

5 Ways Former Athletes Can Stay Involved in Their Sport Once Their Careers End

By Marissa Massaro|Updated on June 27, 2023 (originally published on October 24, 2022)

There comes a time in every athlete's career where their sport comes to an end. Only a small percentage of college athletes go on to play their respective sport professionally, but while most athletes do not have the ability to play their sport forever, there are many ways for athletes to stay involved in their sports once they are done playing both while an athlete is still in college or after college. Here are five ways to continue your involvement in your sport after your playing days are over.

Manage a Team

There are many ways to stay involved in sports during your time in school. The first way that this can be done is becoming a team manager of your choice. Many college teams hire students on campus to work as a team manager to help with the operations of the team. Having this job would allow for you to be around your chosen sport, while also allowing you to be around the team atmosphere that many athletes enjoy being a part of. It is an opportunity to remain close to the sport you love, being a part of a team, and in many cases get paid for it.

Find a Job in an Athletic Department

If you find yourself wanting to just be around the sports environment, working in your school's athletic department may allow for this as well. Many schools hire student workers to help with game day operations, ticket sales, or just overall game experience. This will allow you to be around sports and around the environment that sports provides.

Still in School? Try a Rec League

Being a manager is a great way to stay involved in your sport, but many want to find ways to continue playing. Depending on the school that you attend, there are options to continue playing through the recreation department. Some schools may have a club team for the respective sport that you play, or they may have an intramural sports team that you can play on. Recreation departments often have teams for various sports that allow students to be on to play for fun with other students on campus. This is a less competitive environment than the varsity college sports, but allows individuals of all skill levels to continue playing for fun while in college.

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Become a Coach

Another great way to stay involved in your sport? Coaching. Whether it's a local youth team or going back to coach a team that you grew up playing, there are always coaching positions open, especially if you have the experience of playing in college. A great way to find these opportunities would be to reach out to teams or organizations that you have previously been a part of and ask about possibly joining as a coach. If coaching is not something that is of interest to you, there are many opportunities working as a team manager, equipment manager, media member, or more that are available.

Find a New League

Once you are out of school, there are still ways to continue playing your sport for fun. There are many adult leagues that are available for you to join. These leagues are often not competitive, but are played by those who want to continue to enjoy playing the sport that they love. A great way to find these leagues would be to search online or search on social media, such as Facebook, and join groups that play on teams together.