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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
So U Want to be a Professional Athlete
Central Indiana, IN
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The odds of becoming a professional athlete are small. In fact, your chances of shooting a hole-in-one – twice – and bowling a perfect 300 are greater; but what if you do make it? What’s life like as a professional athlete?
Most conjure up visions of money, cars and fame. Others daydream about buzzer-beating heroics or going to Disney World after winning a championship. Few, if any, talk about the physical and emotional stress behind the “glamour and glitz,” and therefore, few are prepared to cope with the many facets of professional sports.
Some realize fame and fortune, but there’s more to being a “pro” than a paycheck.
Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Graham is beginning his fourth NBA season. “The biggest surprise for me was making it… knowing that I was selected and considered as one of the world’s premiere players. The actual fact that I would get to play against world-renowned athletes like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. My rookie year I was in Cleveland, and LeBron James was my teammate.”
When you become a professional athlete you become a public figure. Virtually everything you do and say become news. Fans pay big money to support their favorite teams and players; consequently, they have their own sets of expectations.
Bill Brooks, Indianapolis Colts Executive Director of Administration, played 10 years in the NFL. He recalled when he first became a pro. “The biggest surprise was the responsibility I had off the field; not only to the organization but to the community. Once I became a pro, I was looked at differently. I was looked upon to set a good example for others. I was expected to be a role model.”
So not only must you perform well in every game, you’re expected to set a good example personally and professionally. Professional athletes have a lot of influence and represent the city, team and league on their uniform. The name across their back, however, stands out the most.
“I always kept in the back of my mind that I was representing my family and not to do anything to embarrass them,” Brooks adds.
Everyone makes mistakes, but when you’re a professional athlete one bad decision affects everyone and everything associated with you.
Professionally, a lot of time is dedicated to being the best. You may have been No. 1 in high school and college, but now there’s hundreds of No. 1’s. The best of the best don’t rest on past laurels. They’re constantly working to elevate their game by strengthening weaknesses, adding to their repertoire of skills and perfecting their strengths.
“You’re playing against the best players in the world,” Graham says. “So your work habits on and off the court have to go beyond others expectations.”
Undoubtedly one of the NBA’s all-time greatest players, Reggie Miller, reached superstardom during his 18-year career.
“I think the biggest surprise of being a pro athlete is all the free time,” Miller says. “Coming out of college, you’re pretty much on a routine. Once you get into the pros you practice in the mornings and then you’re done.”
College is your first time away from home and first taste of real independence. Like Miller points out, a student-athlete has a built-in schedule: when to go to class, study tables, workouts, practices, and games. There’s little time left to manage beyond an hour or so for socializing. In the pros, no one’s there to tell you what to do; you’re expected to be self-disciplined.
It’s no secret that Miller spent countless hours outside of practice perfecting his on-court skills, but off-court his time management, organizational, decision making, conflict resolution, communication and stress management skills helped shape his professional success.
NBA Player Development examined various athletes considered fan and front office favorites. Common traits included hard worker, leader, dependable, role model, business savvy, charitable, charismatic, integrity, articulate and team player.
In addition, ESPN’s annual sports poll ranks players on fan perceptions of friendliness, giving 100 percent while playing their sport, professional image, role model, charity and community involvement, professionalism during games, respectfulness during media interviews and committed to winning. Notice fans and management have common desirable qualities. All attainable through self-discipline and determination.
If your passion is to become a professional athlete, go for it understanding that “professional” encompasses a list of expectations, and mental and physical stresses.
Professional athletes are targets for crime and scams, and because of media scrutiny and public fascination, the job is 24/7. How well you handle the demands and celebrity of being a professional athlete will determine how far you go, maybe even more so than your talent.
As Graham puts it, “A definite blessing from God, but no walk in the park.”
Kathryn Jordan (a.k.a. KJ) has 25-plus years experience in the sports and entertainment industry. Having worked with hundreds of professional athletes, she is well-known throughout the NBA for her innovative programs and creative strategies. Ms. Jordan served as a member of the NBA Player Development Steering Committee, Community Relations Representative on the NBA Marketing Advisory Committee and NBA delegate to the Athlete Development Summit. She has received numerous recognitions for her effective blend of creative and management skills, and was named one of Indianapolis’ Top 12 Influential Females in Sports. •
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