The unspoken truth and identity issues associated with “graduating” from sports.
While many relish the tribes and tribulations of being a college athlete, a vast majority overlook the transition from athletics to the real world. Unfortunately for college athletes, the numbers don’t lie – just 2% of these highly touted players go on to play in the pros.
Sports are an escape from reality for many. They provide an outlet to channel the stresses of academics and hone technique through hard work. Student-athletes thus ignore the staggering numbers and allocate hours on end to better their craft on the court, field, or even in the pool. This leads some players to associate their success as a person with their success on the field. Fortunately, this pushes players to be their best, but leaves a gaping hole in their identity once they move on.
Senior graduate Devin McArthur, a current coaching intern with Red Dragon football and a former all-conference player, stated, “being around the program makes me miss the constant grind tremendously.”
McArthur, deemed a hard-nosed success story after being just a two-year starter at Saratoga Springs high school, admits that going to the professional level was never an option. “I knew I never had a shot at the next level, but Red Dragon football was worth the four years of dedication.”
Luckily for some, their love for the game transitions them into other avenues of it. These include but are not limited to: coaching, recruiting, scouting, and training. This transition allows former players to develop future players, playbooks, and nuances associated with the game. Doing so also helps to heal any past wounds the game has left them.
McArthur, who tallied sixty-three tackles in 2022, is evidence of this. He said, “it has been a lot easier going from player to coach rather than player to a regular student. Being a part of the coaching staff has made the transition a lot easier.”
While most play sports simply for the love of the game, sport teaches invaluable lessons. From a young age, billions of people throughout the world fall in love with the beauty of athletics. For generational players, this means a shot at the top leagues. But for all, sports are a way to enhance character and teach the rules of life.