Student-Athletes; Play the Game and Anticipate Your Next Move

Around the middle of February each year, I still get the itch. I see pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training and begin following everyone’s progress on Baseball Tonight. I pay special attention to those few guys that I played against that are still hanging around the game, now contributing to their clubs as managers and coaches. By the end of April, when we’re able to get outside here in upstate NY, I am completely brought back to my days at the ballpark with the smell of fresh cut grass in the neighborhood. I might even pull out one of my old bats for a few hacks and reminisce...even play a little game of ‘What if?’.

Then it hits me. I step back and?look around at where I am now, and I realize how far I have come because my?experiences as a Student-Athlete (achievements as well as failures) prepared me for the journey through my career.

Ultimately, leaving something that you have such a passion for can be a real shock to your system. I used to be obsessed with?the preparation and planning for situations I may face come game day. In my case, it took some time to learn how to structure my daily routine as so much of it had been devoted to baseball. Additionally, as I had been associated with a sport I had been playing my whole life, I even felt a bit of a loss of identity. There are still times when I may be meeting someone for the first time and they say ‘oh, you’re the ball player’. For some reason, after I was done playing it upset me a bit, but now I know it is a great opportunity to connect with a contact. Unfortunately, when I was in college I didn’t realize what it meant to network. Additionally, once I ultimately had to hang up my spikes, I wasn’t aware of the great attributes I had attained that I would be able to leverage.

Fortunately for me, I was able to surround myself with a great support system of family and friends that provided me the direction I needed. Eventually, I found a home in a company that cultivated those attributes that made me a standout player. Now, I contribute to a University Relations program that allows me to give back and work with those individuals that are in the same shoes I once stood in and expose them to opportunities for their future.

With this in mind, I wanted to touch on a few key qualities Student-Athletes possess that employers find extremely desirable in their applicants that you should always be thinking of leveraging;

Time Management and Ability to?Prioritize?– In today’s economy, every company must get by as efficiently as possible. For their employees, that means that you will be expected to wear many hats and switch your focus frequently. Don’t be afraid to highlight the demanding schedules you have faced balancing academics and athletics in college as well as your knack of transitioning your efforts towards the areas that need your attention most.

Dedication, Work Ethic and Desire to Continuously Improve?– While many students were sleeping off their late nights at the local watering hole, we’re up at the crack of dawn trying to do that little extra bit that will help us best our competition. We get complacent easily and are always looking to feed that fire in our bellies. This translates to the business world as we are able to identify an objective and plan to achieve and overcome. As an employer looking to hire, I like to see some of the lofty goals you accomplished on the field included in your resume and hear about what obstacles you faced to get there during your interview.

Teamwork (Leadership as well as sacrifice)?– To be a ‘Team Player’ is a cliché used all too often without really understanding what it takes to be successful. You know that there are times that someone will have to step up to lead and take the associated risk that may come with it. Conversely, a teammate also knows when to step back and contribute to a role that they may be best suited for on a project. On top of that, employers will be looking for those early career employees that are trainable and coachable. Truly think about where you have played a role in each one of these capacities and utilize them in your elevator speech and network invites with key contacts.

Throughout college and into my years of professional baseball, I wore the ‘reality blinders’. I focused on my opportunity within baseball, but failed to truly recognize that at some point I would have to turn my attention towards another occupation. The harsh reality is that over 98% of those participating in college athletics will not be able to pursue a career in their sport. Of that small fraction that does make it, most careers last only a few short years. Coming from someone who has been through the process, I can’t stress enough that no matter where you are in your playing days the time to anticipate and plan your next move is now. Make sure you utilize the contacts you have made to this point to enhance your network. Furthermore, just as you look to your coach in your current sport for advice, be sure to take advantage of the experts in your school’s career services office for career direction. Moving on from your time as a Student-Athlete can be very difficult, but taking the time to prepare for your life after sports now can help take the edge off of the transition.

Alex Steele, University Relations