Media Release: Retired Olympic Medallist vows to ensure every athlete has a life of purpose after sport

For immediate release

April 14, 2011. Gold Coast, Australia.

Retired Olympian Josh Watson is spearheading efforts to help athletes and professional sporting people to prepare for life after their careers in sport with the development of Transsports; an athlete education and transition program. Watson, a former World Champion and Olympic Silver medallist, has successfully navigated the turbulent waters of transition and believes his innovative new program will inspire and engage elite athletes, encouraging them to be proactive in their personal and professional pursuits.

During Watson's competitive career he witnessed many elite athletes becoming hooked on a lifestyle characterised by cash flow, notoriety, the team, supporter adoration and most importantly, the opportunity to achieve. However, upon retirement from their professional sporting endeavour, the spoils of professional sport seemed to evaporate in an instant.

"Athletes leave sport on six figure incomes and then face the reality of no cash flow and no job opportunities to maintain the lifestyle they have lived for the majority of their professional lives. An athlete who is past their sporting use by date has little value to a sporting administration or player manager and as such is discarded to the growing pile of worthless, identity-less former champions," he says.

"An athlete then faces the depressing journey through life forever looking back at past achievements, and the good old days, instead of looking forward to living a life of purpose that they create for themselves. Husbands, wives, partners, children, parents or family are the ones left to pick up the pieces of this one time supremely confident and invincible human being."

The anxiety athletes experience when exposing themselves to the world of personal and professional development is full of enough doubt and uncertainty with respect to how they will achieve in this new environment that they inevitably migrate back to their comfort zone - sport. Watson's experience is well documented. Research shows 77% of athletes feel unprepared for life after sport as a result of this anxiety*. In the post sporting environment, athletes are thrust into a world where there is no team, no structure, no goals and no outlet to achieve.

TransSports comes with the support of many high profile athletes, including recently retired Australian cricketer, Nathan Bracken. He believes without an individually specific strategy for life after sport, the likelihood of elite athletes experiencing depression, anxiety and uncertainty sky rockets, leaving the athlete with no vision to facilitate their key need; the need to achieve.

"It's critical to have a post-sport career path set well in place prior to completing your sporting career. I recognise that in order to continue to achieve in life after sport I have to develop myself both personally and professionally. It is unrealistic to think that I will enjoy success off the field without adequate preparation and TransSports is the perfect vehicle for that key need I have," he said.

"Initially transition is a roller coaster ride. There is new found freedom and choices and yet there are doubts around how I will continue to achieve at the level I am accustomed to. The emotional support from working with someone who has navigated these waters successfully and has a passion for athlete transition has been paramount in my transition journey so far."

TransSports is the ultimate value-add to player manager operations resulting in total quality management of the athlete. "Unfortunately most athletes have a "deal with it when I come to it" attitude with respect to transition and personal and professional development", says Josh. "As an athlete approaches retirement TransSports works to recreate the environment and life structure the athlete is accustomed to in sport, but with a personal and professional focus".

"TransSports creates awareness around transition and gives the athlete the opportunity and skills to make informed decisions with regards to their future. TransSports then project manages the development of the athlete by mentoring them from an identified pathway to successfully transitioned athlete through a range of educational streams including career development, finance, communications, relationships, emotional intelligence, physical and mental health, transition preparation and more.

If you're an Olympian, in Rugby League, Rugby Union, AFL or any professional athlete considering retirement, you need to seriously consider a transition program such as what TransSports offers.

Contact Josh Watson on 0413 473 663 or visit www.transsports.com.au

Release ends
Survey conducted by TransSports, 'Athlete Education and Transition Survey, n=500