Building Your New Season: Growth Beyond the Jersey
When the whistle sounded on my last collegiate game, I expected relief. Instead, there was a quiet echo, an empty calendar where practices used to be, a locker without my nameplate and a steady hum of “Now what?” No one hands you a playbook for life after sport. At UNJERSEYED, our mission is to help you write one.
Leaving the jersey, keeping the lessons
Dr. Jeff Porter, a former Olympian and sports psychologist, argues that you don’t have to “let go” of your athletic identity, you just need to redirect it. He suggests finding new activities that keep you competitive and engaged, whether that’s weightlifting, climbing or a friendly rec‑league . He also recommends volunteering or coaching to stay connected to the sports community and exploring new passions through learning, reading and additional.
What I have truly realized is the discipline and drive you cultivated still belongs to us as athletes. We just need to be able to transfer those skills into a new arena.
Why growth matters now
Research shows that life after sport can be challenging. A 2023 scoping review noted that retirement often brings a loss of identity, social networks and structured routines. Communities and programs that help athletes make sense of their career, develop a well‑rounded sense of self, set clear plans and adjust to new routines have been shown to ease the transition. In another study, former athletes had lower physical‑activity and nutrition scores than current athletes and even non‑ athletes. Those who continued to train and exercise by maintaining a variety of physical activities beyond their main sport adjusted better and reduced long‑term health risks.
So for us former athletes, growth isn’t optional, it’s absolutely essential. Without a plan, the gap between who we were and who we’re becoming can fill with apathy, declining health and missed opportunities. Maintaining that trajectory of growth physically can keep us in a steady state of progress that we can act on when we develop new goals and a new lifestyle for ourselves.
Your new season game plan
Reframe your identity. Instead of thinking “I was an athlete,” start with “I am a competitor who….” The scoping review suggests that leaving a sport and creating the new you is an ongoing process. Spend time journaling about what you loved about your sport: was it the discipline, the camaraderie, the constant improvement? Keep those traits as part of your core identity and apply them to new domains like your career, relationships, or community.
Keep moving. High‑impact sport may be over, but training isn’t. As Adam Loiacono explains, shifting from performance‑based training to longevity means prioritizing joint health, strength and mobility. Incorporate joint‑friendly movements such as trap‑bar deadlifts, split squats and unilateral exercises. It doesn’t have to be a rigorous training session like back when you were in your sport. Keeping it simple and effective does more for your strength, health, and muscular attributes than pushing yourself to exhaustion which is what we did as sports athletes.
Design your scoreboard. In sport, we measured success by points and personal bests. In your new season, your scoreboard might track workouts, hours of focused work, dollars saved, or books read, or all of them combined. Use our 3‑Play Planner: pick one non‑negotiable action each week for your body, your finances, and your purpose. Then use our Scoreboard Template to record daily reps. You’ll be amazed at how a simple checkbox fuels momentum.
Create a routine and stick to it. The most true thing in the world is that growth thrives on consistency. Set a wake‑time, plan your meals, and schedule your training blocks just like practices. Sleep, hydration, and recovery are now performance tools for success. If motivation fades, commit to the process and the grind like how you did late in the season for your sport. We as athletes all know even when we have a routine, the days we dont want to show up but still do are the ones that count.
Seek mentors and stay connected. Dr. Porter emphasizes the value of mentors who can guide you through the identity shift. Research on the Social Identity Model of Identity Change found that social support from existing group memberships mitigates distress and aids the adjustment to new situations and environments. Whether it’s a coach from your playing days, a teammate a few years further along, or a professional network, stay in community. You’re not meant to do this alone.
Set ambitious goals but focus on daily actions. Aim high: start a business, run a half marathon, apply to graduate school, but tie your ambition to daily reps. Studies on identity continuity suggest that having a clear plan and adjusting to new routines helps athletes gain control and build back their confidence. One great season is built on hundreds of mundane practices. Your life is no different.
Master Your Next Season
Our last sports season is over, working to improve our life through structure, routine, and challenges helps build confidence in new directions. At UNJERSEYED, we call that Mastering Your Next Season. Your jersey may hang in a closet, but the fire that drove you is still alive. Growth as a former athlete isn’t about leaving everything behind; it’s about transferring your playbook to a broader field.
This week, choose one trait you loved about your sport and apply it somewhere unexpected. Share your Three Plays with us, we’ll hold you accountable. Your new season isn’t just possible, it’s already underway.