Many athletes struggle when their sports career stalls or ends, not knowing what to do moving forward.

Problems associated with an end to sports can be prevented by helping athletes discover other valued things.

Parents and coaches need to project a perspective that there's more to a meaningful life than just sports.

You’re far more than an athlete.

That’s a message I deliver to athletes of all ages, especially the young ones, many of whom end up suffering due to a life definition revolving almost exclusively around sports. They often implode when something goes wrong in their athletic endeavors, as detailed in a previous post.

That over-reliance on sports for self-value creates enormous pressure, stunts performance effectiveness, and kills the joy of athletic participation.

More importantly, it can create a void of purpose and direction when they can no longer play like they used to, due to being a non-starter, an injury, or because their sports career completely ends. These circumstances often result in a bottomless pit of meaninglessness and sadness. Such athletes lack—and are in dire need of—a multidimensional sense of self.

The purpose of this post is to encourage coaches and parents to help young people........

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