(Column)
There are players in professional sports that I rooted against wholeheartedly, but whose vision for thinking beyond their playing careers that I admire. LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Derek Jeter, Tom Brady and others played for teams that were arch rivals of the teams that I aligned my fandom to. But, what all of these guys have in common is that they have never viewed themselves in the small space of an athletic performance career. Instead, each has blazed a trail in their respective businesses, be it entertainment, nutrition, and sports executive ownership that requires performance of the mind rather than the limitations of the body.
Sport in all of its allure and jaw dropping spectacles during competition also offers great ways of making a living and elevating society in careers, business ventures, and civic involvement.
It is not unusual in any sport these days for major sports to have a team full of millionaires in their twenties and thirties. But, consider the person signing these people’s checks for a moment. Team owners are billionaires. And just as much as a kid can aspire to be a great three-point shooter like Steph Curry, he or she can get a business degree, make a few investments and connections and pursue team ownership.
There are so many career opportunities in athletics that could sustain a person for life because modern day society has an infatuation with sport and consistently pours disposable income into it. Athletic directors at colleges are key components of higher education’s administrative cabinet, perhaps helping generate the bulk of the school's revenue and serving as a primary promoter and marketer of the campus. Teams’ employment and management structure mirror just about any corporation of organization outside the world of athletics. There are marketing and sales people, bookkeepers, human resources professionals, lawyers, and nonprofit administrators that contribute to the whole of the organization.
There are also opportunities to become sports agents, trainers, psychologists and graphic artists that provide a sustained connection to athletics, a high standard of living and preservation of the body as the competitive days begin to dwindle.
One of the common threads that I see when former players make negative headlines is that they fail to define themselves outside the field of play. Those who flourish use their time in the spotlight to build the next chapters in their lives. This is not only instructive for a kid who aspires to become the next great athlete, but also for those who have a genuine love for the games and desire to stay connected in positive productive ways as career options.
It’s been proven throughout the annals of history that the mind tends to endure once the body’s best days are in the rear view mirror.
Patrick Ervin has been writing about the Delta for more than 25 years. He specializes in sports and religion.
