Want to Be a Featured Former Student Athlete?
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.
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 (your niche)
- 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?
PERSONAL / LOCKER ROOM STYLE
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 _____.”
This platform was built to highlight the stories, lessons, and journeys of former student athletes. 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.