IT HAS been an absolute joy to see the success of our athletes in Rio, at both the Olympics and Paralympics. After a solid four-year training regime for most of them, their time to shine on the Olympic stage arrived, and for many it brought with it great success in the shape of a gold, silver or bronze medal, sometimes a new world record and, of course, many personal bests.
But what happens to our female athletes when they retire from sport? Are we investing in their long-term future, or, are we being short-sighted and selfish by only focusing on their sporting achievements?
Investment from, in most cases, the National Lottery, has given many of our athletes an opportunity to focus on their sport and work hard at improving their performance on a full-time basis. This takes away the worry of juggling a part-time job with a very strict daily training regime.
It’s what happens afterwards, when they retire from sport, most of them at a very young age, that is worry. Many will try to enter the corporate world and pitch themselves against a different kind of rival. There are only a limited number of paid opportunities available to athletes to stay within the sporting environment when they retire.
They could become a coach, an official or perhaps consider working in the media as a commentator. Perhaps they could write a book chronicling their experiences, or go on the after-dinner circuit, regaling audiences with stories of their sporting success. However, let’s be honest, apart from a handful of openings in a very few select areas, such opportunities are rare, and, worryingly, I believe these are fewer and further between for female athletes in Scotland.
One of the issues that impacts on athletes, is loss of confidence. When they retire, they are taken out of their comfort zone and dropped into a totally alien environment. This can result in the athletes having to question their ability to function in a completely new environment.
When you have been totally focused and cocooned in a world of sport for a long period of time, it is understandable that you can lose your connection with the outside world when it comes to work, and the thought of having to re-enter, or for some, enter for the first time, can be daunting.
But let’s look at some of the transferable skills that being an athlete can bring. Focus, determination, team-work, decision-making, stamina, resilience, who wouldn’t want to see these qualities in a potential employee?
Many of the skills that make a first-class athlete are not necessarily skills that can be taught. They are inherent in an individual and are honed by their participation in sport. This makes them an excellent candidate for employment. It is true that some of our top-class athletes will have made enough money to ensure a worry-free future, but I believe that has been mainly the domain of male athletes for a long-time, and, at this moment, they are still picking more prize money and commercial endorsements than their female counterparts.
So while we look on in awe and wonder at what we perceive to be the lifestyle of our athletes, let’s remember a few things. Most have had to give up a social life, miss birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and be on call 24/7 for drug-testing. It may seem glamorous jetting off all around the world to participate in sport, but it can be lonely and isolating.
We all gain so much pleasure from our top sportspeople. We read about them, talk about them, watch their heroic attempts to win, not just for themselves but for all of us. It is time to look at how we can support athletes’ transition from the sporting world to the working world. If they need a little help, let’s make sure they get it.
They have brought us so much joy – now it’s time to give them something back.
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