Many would think that an athletic career retirement is similar to an occupational retirement, but this is definitely not true. Most of the athletes start their athletic careers when they are just children, and almost all of these sporting lives finish at a very young age. For active athletes to think of a life after the last game or competition is not very pleasant. However, this is a relevant issue for many athletes who are about to retire, or for those that are just starting, but have plans for a life after athletic retirement. It is well known that the transition from athletic career to post athletic career is not easy. That’s why a lot of professional athletes take the necessary preventive measures before ending their sport competition years. Some of them even received college degrees during or after their professional athletic life which helps them to have better career prospects for their post athlete period. This is a list of 5 former professional athletes, and how they get college degrees.
Read more about how to plan a post athlete career in an old post of Jason Hanold.
Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson
Born in Bessemer, Alabama, “Bo” Jackson started his football and baseball career in the 1980’s at Auburn University, becoming years later in the one and only player to be named an All-Star in both sports. Among his baseball teams are the Kansas City Royal, the Chicago White Sox, and the California Angels (currently Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). His most important football professional team was the Angeles Raiders (currently the Oakland Raiders). However, his professional athlete career was affected by a hip injury in 1991 which made him retire from football, and later from baseball. After this unfortunate incident, Bo decided to come back to Auburn University and finish his Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Child Development, fulfilling in this way what he promised his mother: be the first one in the family to receive a college degree.
Image courtesy of WBEZ at Flickr.com
Leon Lett Jr.
“The Big Cat”, as Lett was nicknamed, played as a defensive tackle in two American football teams: the Dallas Cowboys during 1991 – 2000, and the Denver Broncos in 2001. In 2009, 8 years after his retirement, the former American football player went to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he started his coaching career and received a degree in Sociology and History. Nowadays, The Big Cat works for his former professional team, the Dallas Cowboys, as a full-time assistant defensive line coach.
Jon Steven “Steve” Young
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Steve Young was during 1984 and 1999 a professional quarterback of American football teams such as Los Angeles Express, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers. He began his football career at Brigham Young University (BYU) where he received a Juris Doctor Degree from this university’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. Though Young is still involved with football business, he appears on ESPN’s Monday Night Football and co-host a show on KNBR radio station, he has taken part of different business outside football field. For example, Steve Young is the co-founder and managing director of the private equity firm Huntsman Gay Global Capital which focuses in middle-market companies.
Image courtesy of Thomas Hawk at Flickr.com
Alan Cedric Page
Born in Canton, Ohio, Alan Page started his football career as defensive tackle at the University of Notre Dame in 1966. Next year, Page went to the Minnesota Vikings where he played for 11 years. After this, Page signed with the Chicago Bears until his retirement in 1981. It was during his years at the University of Minnesota when Alan Page started his major as Juris Doctor which he finished in 1978. After receiving his Doctor of Law degree and over football off season, Page was an employee at Lindquist & Vennum, a law firm in Minneapolis. But his career big step came in 1992 when he became an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Alan Page was reelected for this position three times (1998-2004 and 2010) before his retirement last year.
James Reynold Lonborg
“The Gentleman Jim”, as Lonborg was recognized, was a right-handed pitcher for several teams at the Major League Baseball during 1965 and 1979. Playing first for the Boston Red Sox, Jim injured his left knee in a skiing trip which carried a lot of more injuries during his athletic career. Lonborg also played for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies, retiring in the latter. After his fifteen years of professional baseball career, Jim attended to the School of Dental Medicine at Tufts University and obtained his degree as General Dentist in 1983. After graduating, Dr. Lonborg moved to Hanover, Massachusetts, establishing there his own successful practice where he still works.
Image courtesy of Tom Vivian at Flickr.com
Jason Hanold 