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

LIfe as a professional athlete can be seen as a dream job. Not only do athletes get to play the sport they love, some can receive millions of dollars and be admired by thousand and millions of people. Their professional lives usually consist of spending large amounts of money on things like cars, houses, partying, traveling etc… Most are living the life they they have always dreamed about, unlit they day comes when they retire or are cut from their team with no job. This is when reality hits them and many face difficult problems after retiring. Retired athletes often have very little work experience and most pro athletes do not have a college degree.This can lead to a difficult transition from living the life they want, to finding a normal job or just finding purpose in life. 

Athletes face several challenges after they retire. Some athletes, mainly NFL athletes, have received serious brain damage that can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts. Former San Diego Chargers linebacker, Junior Seau, is a an example of this as he committed suicide a couple of years ago. For the players that still have large amounts of money after they retired, their challenges may be finding motivation and excitement in their life. Many do not feel they have a purpose anymore and can't find a consistent hobby and joy in life. The players that either had short careers or did not spend their money wisely, transitioning into the real world can be extremely challenging. Many employers will not hire employees who have not had work experience in several years, or ever, especially if they do not have a college degree. Athletes struggle so much with this transition because, for most, hey have already experienced their peak in life. Most were able to do/go anything/anywhere they wanted during their sports careers, and after they retire they have much less fame and freedom. Their ability to have so much fame and freedom while playing is a direct result of money and the admiration and passion that they receive from fans, due to the popularity of sport in the U.S. 

Although I completely understand why athletes face these difficult transitions emotionally, i feel that the players who lost most of their money and file for bankruptcy should have planed ahead more. They should have invested and spent their money much more wisely because I'm sure they have been warned of what to come after retirement. I was shocked when hearing a couple of years ago that Allen Iverson filed for bankruptcy after eating 100's of millions of dollars in his career. Situations like these just shouldn't happen.