PlayYourGame.com - PHPA Career Enhancement Program

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Life After Hockey

By Phil Mazzone
Program Coordinator

In June of 1997 the Executive Committee of the PHPA requested that a pilot education program be developed for the benefit of all PHPA Members.

One year later, the Career Enhancement Program (C.E.P.) was unveiled at the PHPA annual Player Representative meeting in Palm Coast, Florida. The program was met with great excitement and implementation was initiated during the 1998-99 hockey season.

What is the C.E.P.? It is many things, however, basically it was designed to assist PHPA Members to prepare for the transition to a new career following retirement from hockey. It is expected that Members will develop a career "focus" or "game-plan" and complete the training and educational requirements WHILE THEY ARE PLAYING so that they will be prepared to begin a new career immediately.

The C.E.P. provides direction for hockey players in the AHL, and ECHL. These two leagues currently operate with 52 teams and approximately 1,500 players, many of whom hone their skills at these developmental levels before achieving their "dream" of making it to the NHL.

After two years of operation the C.E.P. boasts a remarkable growth record, having gone from 120 participants in the first year to approximately 300 by the end of June, 2000 (20% of all players). Participation by league included: 96 from the AHL, 74 from the IHL, and 110 from the ECHL, as well as another 18 former PHPA Members.

During the 1999-2000 hockey season, the C.E.P. was instrumental in assisting more that 40 Members to commence or complete university/college/training programs. It also helped design and prepare 32 generic/job specific r�sum�s and coordinated the pilot Internship Program that successfully placed 21 Members in work experiences throughout Canada and the U.S.A. Additionally, the C.E.P. is currently developing strategies for more than 150 other players.

Most hockey players don't recognize the need to prepare for "LIFE AFTER." Ninety percent of the 300 participants are undecided or don't have a "clue" about their future aspirations. For the majority of players their whole life to date has been Hockey! Hockey! Hockey! The only dream they have is to play in the "BIG SHOW," the NHL - make tons of money and never have to worry about working, - ever. Play golf, travel and leisure - Get Real!

Professional hockey players MUST recognize:

The shortness of an average player's career (4 1/2 years).
The need to work after hockey - if you are able to stay in hockey until age 30 remember that you still have more than half of your life remaining - You must be happy in your second career - FINDING IT CAN BE DIFFICULT.
That hockey skills may not be marketable in other careers.
That a player may be ten years behind the times when retirement occurs.
That a player may be faced with emotional and financial set backs.
That a million dollars in the bank will not be enough to retire on - especially if you get married, buy a home, raise a family - feed, clothe and educate them - and still go on vacations.
That no job is forever.

Players must realize that their minds will always remain youthful, however, the body will remind them of their limitations - the body can only take and give so many "hits" before injuries, both minor or career-ending will force retirement. Therefore, preparation for a career after hockey must be uppermost in an athlete's mind before his hockey career ends.

Parents and children must seriously consider the consequences of a career in hockey and circumstances that may arise while playing, the good and bad aspects, the ups and downs of daily routines, the travel, being away from family and friends and many more issues.

The important point that has to be made is that a good, solid, meaningful education is essential to ensure that no matter what level of hockey you play, be it the NHL, AHL, IHL or the ECHL, you will be prepared to meet your next challenge - the "real world." You must make every effort to complete your educational goals before or during your hockey playing days, otherwise, having the right tools for your next career may require going back to school when you are 30 or 35 years of age.