Yes, I am the first featured Former Student Athlete on this platform…because I am the founder of this website. I wanted to go first and set the tone. My goal is to build a space where former student athletes feel comfortable sharing their stories, lessons, and journeys to help the next generation navigate life during and after sports. If you’re interested in being featured, feel free to reach out to info@formerstudentathlete.com. Click HERE for some ideas of questions for your essay.
Former Student Athlete actually started as a bit of a joke. I have a very dry sense of humor, and when my daughters were young, before they could barely speak English, I had one answer for almost everything.
“Dad, I’m hungry.”
“Well… you know I was a D1 athlete.”
“Dad, what time is it?”
“I’m a D1 athlete.”
It didn’t matter what the question was. That was the answer. It became a running joke in our house and something I leaned into more over time. At some point, I thought there had to be other former athletes out there with that same sense of humor. And how is there not a shirt that simply says “Former D1 Athlete”? It felt like the perfect gift for someone who still gets introduced as “the guy who used to play ball.”
Then reality hit.
After years of saying “I’m a D1 athlete,” my wife finally reminded me, “You haven’t played in 30 years.”
Super hurtful.
And that’s really where “Former Student Athlete” was born. What started as humor turned into something much bigger. Because underneath the joke is a real identity shift that every former athlete goes through.
I played football at the University of Kansas from 1994 to 1999 and had the honor of serving as a team captain my senior year. During that time, being a student athlete was everything to me. It was my identity, my structure, and my purpose. Every day had a plan, every week had a goal, and there was always a clear expectation.
The transition out of sports wasn’t one defining moment. It was the gradual realization that there was no next season. No scheduled workouts, no game preparation, no locker room. What I felt most was the loss of structure. In athletics, everything is laid out for you. In life after sports, you have to create your own structure and direction, and that adjustment is not easy.
That experience is exactly why this platform exists. FormerStudentAthlete.com was built to highlight real stories from former athletes who are figuring it out, building careers, facing challenges, and growing through it. The goal is simple, to create a space where athletes can share real experiences that help the next generation navigate life during and after sports.
Each week, we will feature one Former Student Athlete.
Submissions are first come, first serve. As soon as I receive your email, you will be added to the list. Each week, one story will be selected and featured on the site.
Being featured is more than just telling your story. If you have a business, a brand, or something you’re building, this gives you real internet real estate. Your feature lives on the site, can be shared, and gets in front of thousands of former student athletes through the newsletter. It is an opportunity to build visibility, credibility, and connection within a community that already shares a common background.
If you are interested in being featured, please put together a response using the questions below as a guide.
This is not meant to be overly formal or perfect. Just be real, be honest, and share your story in a way that reflects who you are.
A few quick guidelines:
• Aim for around 500 words
• This is not meant to be 12,000 words, keep it concise and impactful
• You do not need to answer every single question, use them as a guide
• Write in your own voice
Along with your written submission, please include a photo of yourself. This can be anything from a picture of you playing your sport (which is always great) to a professional headshot or even something casual. The goal is to put a face with the story.
Once completed, send your submission and photo to:
info@formerstudentathlete.com
Favorite memory as a student athlete?
Toughest coach you had and what they taught you?
Teammate who had the biggest impact on you?
One word to describe your athletic career?
Questions to ask yourself!
BACKGROUND / ATHLETIC STORY
What sport(s) did you play and where?
What years did you compete?
What was your role on the team (starter, captain, walk-on, etc.)?
What did being a student athlete mean to you at that time?
TRANSITION OUT OF SPORTS
At what point did you realize your athletic career was coming to an end?
What was the hardest part about transitioning out of being a student athlete?
What did you struggle with the most once the structure of sports was gone?
Did you feel prepared for life after sports? Why or why not?
How did your daily routine change after your playing days ended?
LESSONS FROM SPORTS
What did being a student athlete teach you that still impacts your life today?
What is one lesson from sports that most people outside of athletics wouldn’t understand?
How did sports shape your mindset around discipline, accountability, and failure?
What did losing teach you?
What did winning teach you?
LIFE & CAREER AFTER SPORTS
What are you doing now professionally?
How did you get into your current career or business?
What are you currently working on or building?
What excites you most about what you’re doing right now?
What does a typical day look like for you today?
YOUR “COMMERCIAL” (THIS IS BIG FOR YOUR PLATFORM)
Tell us about your business, career, or current role
Who do you serve or help?
What problem are you solving?
Why should people pay attention to what you’re building?
What makes you or your business different?
Where can people find you, support you, or work with you? (website, social, etc.)
APPLICATION OF ATHLETICS TO REAL LIFE
How has your athletic background helped you in your career or business?
What skills from sports translate directly into what you do today?
How do you handle pressure now compared to when you were competing?
Do you feel former athletes have an advantage in the workforce? Why?
CHALLENGES AFTER SPORTS
What has been your biggest challenge since leaving sports?
What caught you off guard about “real life” after athletics?
Did you ever feel lost or without direction? What helped you get through that?
What habits from sports were hardest to maintain?
GROWTH & PERSPECTIVE
Looking back, what would you have done differently during your playing days?
What advice would you give your younger self as a student athlete?
What do you wish someone would have told you before your career ended?
When did things start to “click” for you after sports?
FINANCIAL AWARENESS
Did you feel prepared financially when you left school?
What is one financial lesson you had to learn the hard way?
How do you approach money differently today?
What advice would you give current athletes about NIL or managing money?
What would you tell a 20-year-old athlete who just received their first big check?
IMPACT / PAYING IT FORWARD
How are you helping the next generation of athletes?
What message do you want current student athletes to hear?
CLOSING (STRONG QUOTE FOR YOUR SITE)
What does being a “Former Student Athlete” mean to you now?
Finish this sentence: “Because of sports, I am _____.”
As for me, the lessons from sports never left. Discipline, consistency, accountability, and resilience continue to shape how I approach life and work. Learning how to handle both winning and losing prepared me for challenges far beyond the field.
Today, I am a Wealth Manager at Creative Planning. I focus on helping individuals and families make smart financial decisions and build long term plans. I am especially passionate about financial literacy, working with student athletes, families, and underserved communities to help them better understand money and the opportunities in front of them.
Starting this platform was a natural extension of that mission. I’ve lived the transition, I understand the uncertainty, and I also see the opportunity that exists on the other side of sports. This platform is meant to help bridge that gap.
If I could go back, I would tell my younger self to prepare earlier, especially financially. Your sport has a timeline. Your life does not.
Because of sports, I operate with discipline, stay resilient through challenges, and remain prepared for whatever comes next.
About The Author
