Starting Early       School & Junior       Course Selection       Life After Hockey       Awareness       Introduction       Rules & Eligibility       Eligibility Explained       What to Ask Coaches       SAT/ACT       SAT Question o/t Day       Div I Teams       DIV III Teams       Introduction       CIAU Teams       Introduction       Rules & Eligibility       CCAA Teams
	By John Hierlihy Career Consultant We at PlayYourGame.com are excited to bring to your attention the importance of planning for life after hockey. This article not only illustrates the importance of preparing but also, at the same time, gives some examples of what is possible with a little extra effort. As a Career Consultant working with retired hockey players, the biggest challenge is to assist them in identifying potential career options. Pinpointing career options involves matching skills and abilities with market needs. Generally on both accounts, hockey players are starting from scratch. They are simply not aware of their career options after hockey. By the time they come to see me, this realization has hit them in the face harder than a punch from Bob Probert. They are scared and intimidated. This is something they have never faced before and do not know where to start. To me, the starting point for identifying career options is awareness. The first step is to understand what you have to offer, as well as using your interests as a guide. This is self-awareness. For a retired professional hockey player, this is challenging, because they have been conditioned to let others identify their skills and abilities, and let others tell them where these strengths are needed. As for interests, their interest in hockey probably became evident at an early age, and it was extremely clear on how to pursue this interest. They were given every opportunity to fulfill and live out their passion. Unfortunately, for the majority of us, discovering career options is not that simple. However, the same rules apply - discover your interests, develop the skills and abilities to perform at a high level, and then get paid millions of dollars due to market needs. Well, maybe not the latter in most cases. Most of us have to re-assess our career options regularly throughout our careers. The average person entering the workforce changes careers, not jobs, six to eight times. We live in a time of unprecedented change and opportunity. Career planning is a life long skill. We are not limited to one career. The change in mindset is the key for hockey players in terms of discovering career options. Firstly, they must realize that being a hockey player is not their only place in this world. Secondly, they should look at life after hockey before they retire from the game. Helping them to look inside themselves to identify these practical skills and abilities and to look beyond the world of hockey to see where this applies. Market awareness - being informed and aware of what the job marketplace is looking for- and education awareness are critical. It is important that they have a sense of what is out there in terms of career and education options. This can be done at any age. It shouldn't matter if the player is in minor hockey, junior, or a professional. Moreover, the earlier this process starts, the better prepared they are to deal with the end of their playing days. A great example of using this model - career planning before retirement - is Ken Baumgartner, former NHL player. He recognized that his career was finite, and through market awareness and education, he built himself a foundation for life after hockey. He left hockey on his own terms and has a great future. Presently, he is enrolled at Harvard University studying for his MBA. His mindset was to focus on hockey, yet use his down-time (summers, off days) wisely which resulted in him chipping away at his education and becoming involved in business activities during his career. Unequivocally, at some point in my dealings with retired players, they will comment on how they wish they had considered retirement or career planning at an earlier stage. Many of them feel in actual fact career planning could have benefited their playing career. They could have eliminated some of the stress associated with the unknown of life after hockey. It allows them to use hockey as a career option, not a necessity. Todd Humphrey, a retired player who spent five years racking up points and penalty minutes in the United Hockey League, summed up his hockey retirement like this: "The thought of life after hockey was not only stressful, but intimidating. Imagining going to a 'real job' was impossible." The key is to be aware of your options before you retire. And the first step is to properly identify your strengths and understand how they apply to the "real world". Hockey players have many skills and abilities. Many of these abilities can be transferred to the "real world". Skills and abilities such as communication, leadership, self-motivation, teamwork, and commitment are hot commodities in the marketplace. Humphrey noted that, "one thing I found is that companies love to hire athletes. Commitment and work ethic are critical in any career". Focusing on transferable skills is an important component for anyone who is embarking on a career change. The best piece of advice Humphrey ever got was to transfer some of his attributes he used in his hockey career to "find something that excite you everyday, and chase it down just like you did hockey". The result for Humphrey is that he is now Manager of Business Development for Apex Learning, a web-based E-Learning company in Seattle, Washington. To find something that will excite an ex-hockey player in the same way hockey did may be difficult to identify - difficult because it may not be as obvious or accessible as hockey was. It takes a proactive and curious person. One must be proactive and curious in being aware of what seems to engage them. What subject, article, book or activity captures one's attention and lets time just flies by? There is so much information available and accessible that we should all be paying close attention to what engages us. We all need to be curious, because almost anything these days can be converted into a fulfilling career. Furthermore, the game of hockey is so closely tied with business that a future career may be right in front of a player's eyes - contract negotiations, community appearances, financial planning, endorsements, and business owners. Professional hockey players in particular are exposed to this on a daily basis. All of these activities are closely related to a multitude of career opportunities. Humphrey recognized this and suggested: "Begin to network with people around your team. Your role in the community is visible, and a perfect time to leverage your status towards a post-playing career". In addition to hockey related contacts, friends and family can also serve as key components in career planning. Players who maintain contact with people outside the game find it easier to remain connected to the world outside of hockey. "My network of friends and family provided me with the introductions and opportunities that helped me to find my career. They were critical in introducing me to the right people and were a great source of information", explained Humphrey. It is imperative that high-level hockey players keep an eye on the big picture. It will only help in dealing with the inevitable end to their hockey playing days. This transition to the 'real world' doesn't have to be an overwhelming or intimidating experience. Being aware of oneself and one's career options is essential for all of us. But, we need to be aware of this and be aware of how to go about it. Planning your life after hockey is not easy, but attainable. "One of the more difficult things to do, but also one of the most important", Humphrey mentions. "If you begin your planning after you finish playing, then you are behind in the game", he added. In conclusion, my advice to all hockey players, young and old, is to start planning now. Keep your head up, and be aware of all your options. You never know when you'll need them.
a project © 1999 DavidSport Inc. All Rights Reserved.