As an athlete, you really don’t know when it’s going to be your last time competing in the sport that you love. It’s a scary feeling, especially when participating in a sport that you love is all you’ve ever known.
As someone who has decided to step away from competing, the struggle of letting go of playing basketball has been a difficult journey for me. It still truly feels like I am missing a part of my life that I trained so hard for, and I understand that feeling is mutual for a lot of retired athletes.
So, what comes next? At first, it’s going to feel like you’re grieving the person that you were. You think back to the late-night studying, the early morning workouts, the pain, and the tears.
Then you think about all the laughter from your teammates, the small remarks on the bench when the coach calls out the wrong play, the uplifting feeling when you make your first shot, and the times spent outside of the court with your teammates-turned-family.
You’re going to constantly question whether stepping away was the best decision. I’m here to tell you no matter what the reason was behind leaving, your reasoning is valid. While it does hurt now, you will learn how to live without being an athlete and find your self-worth in anything you do.
As someone who has experienced this feeling and is currently going through it, here are some things you can do as an ex-athlete to help ease into this new chapter of your life.
Find meaning in other extracurricular activities.
As an athlete, I wasn’t able to do many other extracurricular activities since being a student athlete took a lot of time out of my day. I had to find balance; it was a bit of a struggle to be a part of my campus since I didn’t have much time to do anything else.
Now, I’m putting myself out there more and trying new things. I’m getting involved on campus and putting my passions towards something else.
It’s kept me grounded and helped me focus on the opportunities I do have even without playing a sport. It can do the same for you as well. Maybe it’s dance classes, your schools’ clubs, intramural leagues, or volunteer work—anything that you can create hobbies out of or find enjoyment in.
Establish new habits and routine.
We forget how physically draining it is to be constantly on the go as athletes. From the 4 a.m. practices to the afternoon classes to the late nights spent studying, it’s also mentally draining. So, it’s important, especially now, to find a perfect routine that fits you. Maybe sleeping in a little bit longer or studying a little earlier may help strengthen your physical, mental, and emotional health.
Reach out and talk to someone.
It might be difficult at first to reach out and talk to someone about how you’ve been feeling. I have personally struggled with this myself, but I can reassure you when you do talk to someone, you feel that weight lift from your chest. Sometimes you just need a strong support system to listen. Time will also help you heal.
Knowing that you hold self-worth outside your sport will help you heal from walking away from it.
Don’t forget that you are not alone. While it’s not easy to step back and shift your focus, you must realize that you are more than just an athlete.
Find your passion in other hobbies, extracurriculars, and within work. Put yourself back out there and discover new things.
While it’s sad to reminisce, sometimes it’s even better to take those lessons you learned as an athlete and grow from them, becoming the person you always were—not just an athlete and not just a student. Just yourself.