CHANGING LANES Richard Jones speaks to athletes who’ve successfully negotiated to new careers after sport, and discovers inspirational stories of courage in adversity and new beginnings. Illustration by Mercedes deBellard. 8 IMAGE CREDIT: MERCEDES DEBELLARD - FOLIO ART
THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY F or most people, the dream of representing their country as a professional athlete will never be fulfilled. Very few make it to the top, and even fewer stay there for a prolonged period. As the great British and Irish Lions coach Jim Telfer famously put it, “You are privileged. You are the chosen few.” For those privileged few who do play sport professionally, it’s generally not a career that will sustain them throughout their working life. <strong>The</strong> physical toll and inevitability of human ageing mean that most find themselves retiring at a relatively young age. So what do they do next? Ten athletes shared their story of transition with me. Some had managed the change on their own terms, and some not. <strong>The</strong>ir journeys have invariably required steely levels of resilience, self-discovery and adaptability, and contain lessons for any one of us facing profound and disruptive change in our lives. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE “ You need more to talk about than what you did in your last training session.” Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE is arguably Britain’s greatest ever Paralympian, winning 16 medals at five Games, achieving 30 world records and winning the London Marathon six times during her 16-year career. When Tanni was competing her life revolved around sport, and she scheduled her degree, wedding, honeymoon and even pregnancy around events. However, even with that level of commitment, Tanni recalls, “I never wanted sport to be the biggest thing in my life.” Her father was similarly pragmatic and encouraged her to try other sports and study hard; as Tanni explains, “It’s important to not just be an athlete. You need more to talk about than what you did in your last training session.” So, unlike many, she was already considering transition in her teens, years before her phenomenal success. Tanni tells me that one of the key issues sports stars face is that they have no idea what they’re good at outside of sport. This is compounded by the common misperception that professional athletes are all high earners, when in reality few can afford to wait patiently for the perfect job opportunity when they retire. I was amazed to find out that even with Tanni’s global profile, she only just earned enough each year to compete the next, and at her peak was working in temp roles for additional income. As she points out, “Most athletes retire early, with limited savings and no idea what to do next.” In her early twenties Tanni had ambitions to be a lawyer, but she was aware that she couldn’t be a brilliant athlete one day and a top lawyer the next, and that her transition would take time, dedication and commitment – an approach that mirrors her attitude to training. She attributes her biggest performance jumps in sport to a dedication to improving the things she wasn’t good at. “I was great at pushing downhill, but very few races are all downhill.” She continued, “As an athlete I was always in control of how hard and how often I trained.” And arguably, when preparing for life after sport, it’s the same: the motivation to prepare is down to the individual. So, three years before the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games and her intended retirement, Tanni started to plan for life after sport. Law was still an option, but Tanni knew that beyond that she wanted to make a difference, and was passionate about disability rights. For the next three years, armed with only enthusiasm, a list of questions and a relentless work ethic, Tanni focused on building her CV for career number two. In 2005 Tanni became a Dame for her services to sport, and in March 2010 she was conferred the title of Baroness Grey-Thompson and the position of life peer. “Dad told me at 21 I would end up in the House of Lords and he was right!” It has taken time for Tanni to adjust to life post sport, but since her retirement she says she appreciates having a broader outlook, consciously taking the time to question, reflect and consider the views and experience of others. In addition, she also acknowledges the importance of both time at the desk and away from it, and how physical health supports mental health. A champion on the track and road for many years, Tanni now champions causes she feels most passionately about in the Palace of Westminster, spending her time challenging law and government, and helping to shape the country that she proudly represented for so many years. Her rationale is simple: “If you want to make a difference, you must first be part of the discussion. Only then can you influence the decision.” 9
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