Life After Sports: Mentoring for Athletes

Life after sports goes better when an athlete rebuilds, on purpose, the structure the sport used to provide: a schedule, goals worth chasing, a way to train and a career story. Blackburn pairs college and professional athletes with one dedicated mentor who meets weekly or several times a week, by video anywhere in the United States or in person in Los Angeles, with text and phone contact between sessions.

Who this is for, and who it is not for

This page is for athletes whose playing days are ending or have ended. If you are still competing in high school or college and want help balancing sport, school and the future, start with mentoring for student athletes instead.

College athletes in their final season, or in the first year or two after their last game
Athletes whose careers ended earlier than planned because of injury, a roster change or eligibility
Professional and semi-professional athletes approaching retirement or newly retired
Former athletes a few years out who still feel unsettled and want a clearer direction
Parents of a young adult athlete who want support for their son or daughter, as long as the athlete wants it too

It is not the right fit if you are looking for recruiting help, contract representation, performance training or mental skills work for competition. Mentors are not therapists, and mentoring is not treatment. If you are struggling with your mental health, a licensed professional is the right step. In a crisis, call or text 988.

When athletes should start planning for life after sports

Earlier than most do, and in small pieces. Planning for the next chapter does not mean you care less about the current one. A few hours a month while you are still playing makes the last game far less of a cliff.

Still in college: one career step each off-season, such as an internship, a job shadow or a handful of conversations. Our guide on student athlete career planning lays this out by year.
Final season: sketch the first 90 days after your last game: where you will live, what a weekday looks like, how you will train and what you are working toward.
Playing professionally: explore quietly during the career, through conversations, classes or a side project, so retirement is a step rather than a drop.
Already done: start now. There is no deadline, and it is common to feel the change most a year or more after the end.

What a mentor works on with a retiring athlete

Every plan starts with your goals, broken into weekly steps. Common areas include:

Daily structure. A wake time, training time and work blocks, so days stop drifting. See how to build a daily routine.
Career direction. Exploring options, setting up informational interviews, writing a resume that translates athletic experience and staying consistent through a job search.
Training on your own terms. Choosing new physical goals and building a routine without a team schedule.
Money and life skills. Budgeting when a scholarship or paycheck ends, housing and everyday logistics. Mentors are not financial advisers.
Identity and relationships. Figuring out who you are outside the sport and building a social life that does not run through a locker room. Our guide on athletic identity after sports goes deeper.

What a typical week looks like

A 30 or 60 minute session to review last week and agree three to five concrete steps for this one.
Short text check-ins between sessions on the steps that tend to slip.
A phone call midweek when something comes up, like an interview or a hard day.
Some athletes choose to meet several times a week at first, then move to weekly once the routine holds.

College athletes and pro athletes

The model is the same; the situation differs. College athletes are usually facing graduation, a first job and often a move, all at once, at the same moment the team disappears. Professional athletes tend to have longer careers, more people around them and a sharper public identity shift, and the timing of retirement is not always their choice.

Video sessions travel with you, which matters during a final season on the road or a relocation after it. Athletes in Los Angeles can also meet their mentor in person. Read more about how video mentoring works.

How mentoring fits with a sports psychologist, agent and others

A mentor is one part of the team around you, never a replacement for anyone on it.

Sports psychologist or therapist: clinical and mental performance work stays with them. The mentor helps with day-to-day follow-through and, with your permission, coordinates so you hear one consistent plan. See therapy and mentoring together.
Agent or manager: contracts, business decisions and opportunities stay with them. Mentors do not negotiate or give business advice.
Financial adviser or attorney: mentors do not give financial, legal or tax advice; they help you keep the appointments and follow the plan those professionals set.
Medical and rehab team: if an injury is part of the story, the mentor follows their plan and never changes it.
Family: with the athlete’s permission, the mentor shares progress updates with parents or a partner.

How this differs from other options

Therapy treats mental health. Mentoring is practical, weekly follow-through, and the two can run side by side.
Career centers and career counseling are strong on job search mechanics, usually in occasional appointments. A mentor checks in every week across work, routine, fitness and life.
Athlete transition workshops and programs are often group sessions or one-time events. Mentoring is one-on-one and ongoing.
One consistent mentor. Our team matches you with one mentor who stays with you.

Questions to ask any provider

Will I work with the same person every week?
How often do we meet, and can I reach them between sessions?
Will they coordinate with my other professionals, and only with my permission?
What do they clearly not do?
Who gets updates, if anyone, and how?
How is the plan priced, and how much notice do I need to change it?

How to start

Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes on a weekly plan, billed week to week, or a monthly plan. We do not publish prices; rates are reviewed on the free intro call.

Take a short assessment. Tell us about the student or yourself and the goals. It takes about five minutes.
Have a free intro call. Our team reviews it personally and sets up a short call.
Meet the mentor. We match each person with a mentor whose experience and style fit.
Start the plan. 30 or 60 minute video sessions on a weekly or monthly plan, scheduled in your local time.

Common questions

Is this for college or pro athletes?

Both. College athletes finishing their eligibility and professional athletes approaching or past retirement use the same model: one dedicated mentor, weekly goals and contact between sessions.

When should athletes start planning for life after sports?

Ideally while still playing, a little at a time, so the last game is not a cliff. If you have already finished, now is a good time to start.

How does mentoring fit with a sports psychologist or agent?

It sits alongside them. Clinical and performance work stays with the sports psychologist, business stays with the agent, and the mentor helps with routine, goals and follow-through, coordinating only with your permission.

Do I need to live in Los Angeles?

No. Mentoring happens by video anywhere in the United States, scheduled in your local time zone, and in person for athletes in Los Angeles.

Get started

Finishing a playing career and want a plan for what comes next? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.

Mentoring for Athletes After Sports