By Niovie Constantinou, Contributor
Professional female athletes dedicate their lives to sport, often from a very young age. Their identity becomes deeply tied to their role as athletes. When retirement comes, many face a loss of identity and struggle to transition into a new phase of life. To help with this, several programs—like the International Olympic Committee Athlete Career Education Program—aim to guide athletes in developing life skills, exploring new careers, and pursuing education.
But for a smooth and successful transition, planning must start before retirement. Leaving sport impacts more than just your career. It touches your finances, emotional wellbeing, physical health, and personal relationships. Taking time early to reflect and prepare can lead to a much more positive experience.
Take Liz Ellis, former captain of Australia’s netball team, as an example. She openly shared the steps she took to prepare for retirement, and the result was one of the smoothest transitions in Australian sport. Here’s how she did it:
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She researched how de-training would affect her hormones and mood, then created a plan to stay active.
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She booked travel throughout her first year of retirement—visiting all the places sport had kept her from.
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She gave herself time to switch off, recharge, and reconnect with her identity beyond netball.
Her story shows that post-sport life can be enjoyable, exciting, and deeply fulfilling—if you take control of it.
How to Plan for Life After Sport
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Create a Financial Plan
We’ve covered this in previous posts: finances are the foundation of a secure retirement. When you’re financially stable, you have the freedom to explore different paths without added stress. -
Start Thinking About Your Next Chapter Early
Don’t wait until retirement to figure it out. Consider options within the sports world—such as coaching, administration, or mentoring. But also look beyond. For instance, former tennis pro Marija Mirkovic left the sport at 22 to study commerce. She’s now an analyst at Citigroup, and credits her sports experience with helping her handle high-pressure exams. -
Identify What You’re Passionate About
Ask yourself: What brings me joy? What gives me purpose? This is your chance to invest your energy in something that truly excites you. -
Research Your Career Path
Once you’ve narrowed your interests, dig into the details. What skills are needed? What roles exist? What training or education might be required? Look into programs like EY’s Personal Performance Programme, which offers business skills, job readiness workshops, and mindset development for athletes. -
Take Action
Once you’ve reflected and done the research, it’s time to act. Enroll in a course. Book a career session. Apply for internships. Step by step, build the life you want after sport.
Remember, having a goal is what pushes us down the path of success; goals are not exclusive to sport, the transition may be challenging, but, in Mia Hamm’s words “there are always new, grander challenges to confront, and a true winner will embrace each one”.