Athletes' career game plan

Olympian Barbara Kendall heads a workshop to help athletes transition into jobs. Photo / Greg Bowker

Athletes who get to the top of their game often get there because they put everything they have into their sport.

But what happens when they're past the age of high performance or suffer injury? What happens to them when they can no longer be champions and have to get into the world of work?

Unfortunately, research shows that many sink into depression, alcoholism and despair. Some never recover - they feel their glory days are over and they can't see a way that they can be recaptured.

Joanne Gorman, general manager of marketing and strategy for Adecco New Zealand, says: "Consider a 27-year-old who has just left sport - this person would not have the same career experience as other 27-year-olds who have been in their career for the past, say, seven or so years.

"The athlete has an amount of catch-up to do and it's not easy. They're coming from being on top of their game and suddenly they're coming in behind everyone else. It's very hard for them."

She said at the 2002 International Olympic Committee (IOC) forum, a major topic was the difficulty top athletes were experiencing in transitioning into the labour market.

It was discovered that there was plenty of support for athletes until retirement. "However, there was no help for athletes as regards to life after sport. It's a matter of going from hero to zero - many retired athletes have gone on to drugs and alcohol because they have lacked the skills to properly integrate back into day to day life."

The IOC approached Adecco, a leading employment company, to help elite athletes make the transition into the world of business.

The Athletes Career Programme runs in more than 40 countries, having assisted more than 5000 athletes since it started in 2005.

Now, the local branch of Adecco and the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) are bringing the programme here to help New Zealand athletes integrate into day-to-day life.

"The Athlete's Career Programme has three pillars - education, life skills and employment," says Gorman.

The Academy of Sport is involved with the education side of the programme, which helps athletes who are still competing to value education and pursue it.

"The programme encourages athletes to stay in education as long as they can.

Coaches tend to have a single focus - winning - and that can be at odds with what's good for the individual athlete.

"The programme helps them see that education can enhance performance, not necessarily detract from it. This is where the Academy of Sport comes in."

The IOC website says that while it is difficult to manage study while training, "research shows that athletes with an integrated approach of combining sport and education, life skills and employment opportunities are more likely to achieve their sporting goals, cope better with the workload and manage injury and retirement better.

"Elite athletes have commented that they have more confidence in what the future holds after sport when they pursue an integrated approach to their sport."

To help athletes develop life skills, Olympian Barbara Kendall conducts workshops on behalf of the NZOC.

"The transition from sport is a big change for athletes. The workshop is about helping them gain awareness of this - to be prepared for it," says Kendall.

"I help athletes through reflection on where they are, who they are and what they can do. It's about helping the athletes create a game plan.

"It's very self-reflective; after all, it's so important to know yourself, to know what you're interested in and what you're good at.

"It's about them really learning to know themselves and knowing what job will best fit them."

For Kendall, who has only just retired herself, the workshops have been "an amazing job to fall into".

"It's very part time but it's great to be putting something back into the field. My part in the programme is small but hopefully it will be helpful."

She says she knows what it's like to do "flat tack" training as an athlete and not focus on anything else.

"Let's face it - particularly in New Zealand, there's never enough money in sport. There is no pension money coming in every month after you retire, it's up to the athletes to take responsibility for themselves.

"Life can be an anticlimax. It can be very hard to adjust."

Gorman says Adecco's role in the programme is to help athletes find employment.

"We help athletes create their resumes and look at their transferable skills ... An athlete will have many skills - not least of all great focus and a perfectionist approach to things."

She says that within the recruitment and placement part of the programme, athletes get help to prepare for employment. "There's quite a lot of counselling involved. What we are offering is a career-transition service - we try to make it happen for the athletes and placement is part of it as in providing the athletes with tools and skills."

Adecco also approaches employers and helps them see the advantages of employing top-level athletes.

"We look for athlete-friendly employers and teach them skills on how to get the most from these employees," says Gorman.

"We look at the hiring fit - what is the culture and vision of the organisation and what are the advantages of employing a top-level athlete?

"Athletes don't understand losing. They know all about working hard and achieving goals and targets. They can make excellent employees."

She says that athletes give up a lot to be the best in their sport and it's part of accepted corporate responsibility to give a bit back by giving them a chance. "Also, let's not forget there's plenty of prestige in employing a known athlete. It's good for the company brand."

Sonia Abejon, once a rhythmic gymnast, joined the programme in 2006 and now has a job in a retail financial department, says the IOC.

"Gymnasts have a short sporting life. If you finish injured like me, you have to adjust your sights," says Abejon.

"Now, I'm learning and gaining experience for the future. The transition is never easy but being ready for it and getting the right kind of support makes a huge difference at a difficult time."