July 1, 2019
All professional athletes strive for excellence in their field; this is considered the norm and it is expected of every professional athlete. However, only a handful of them acquire ‘elite’ status which of course translates to stardom and in consequence, to a variety of financial opportunities. These ‘elite status’ athletes comprise no more than 5 to 10 percent of the athletes in their field.
Our topic this month deals with the chances of financial success for the non-elite athletes who represent the majority of professional athletes; the ones who are considered good enough to compete professionally, the ones who are hard working, show up in every competition but are not the ‘stars’ of their sport. With the majority of professional athletes falling into this category, it is reasonable to wonder whether personal financial success is feasible for non-elite athletes and what needs to be done to make financial success feasible and real.
This month, we address the contribution of athletic performance to the athlete’s personal financial success and we acknowledge that top athletic performance is not a prerequisite for financial freedom; it makes it easier, yes, but it is not a necessary ingredient. Opportunity exists and it is everywhere for all athletes, it just needs to be acknowledged and pursued. We believe that with proper planning and by being prudent with spending choices, all athletes, regardless of their performance ranking, can become financially successful and enjoy financial freedom!
Athena P. Constantinou
E-mail: [email protected]
