The Athlete's Advocate Helps Retiring Athletes Find Their Next Move

When playing sports is all you have ever known, what comes after? Acheil Tac knows this question all too well.

The former basketball player noticed that athletes often lacked preparation for their post-playing journeys. Her own experience pivoting to a new, post-basketball career while witnessing her peers struggle with the same transition inspired her to found The Athlete's Advocate, a resource agency that aims to fill a critical gap within the sports industry.

"A lot of athletes don't really think about when the game is over, whether [they] choose to walk away or that decision is made for [them] because of an injury or whatever the case may be," Tac tells us. "We often forget about the transition aspect of when that money stops coming in because you're no longer valuable as an athlete or you're no longer playing."

This phenomenon has long been a common theme among pro athletes. In February, former NFL quarterback Cam Newton shared similar sentiments on his Funky Friday podcast in an interview with activist and businessman John Hope Bryan.

"Post any professional sport, 70% of former athletes either file for bankruptcy, divorce...," Newton told Bryant. "It just heavily impacts you in a negative way."

Tac found herself internalizing the same struggles as she began to wonder about life beyond her basketball career.

"What am I passionate about? What am I interested in? Who have I connected with? What network do I have to leverage and take advantage of," she recalls thinking at the time. "When I looked at my portfolio and my resume, and I was like, 'Wait a minute, I don't really have a lot of experience.' I didn't have time to do internships... I didn't have time to join organizations because we were always traveling again for basketball."

These ruminating questions led her to return to school at East Texas A&M University, where she earned her Master of Business Administration. Through her graduate school education, Tac was able to build her network and lay the groundwork for what would become The Athlete's Advocate. The business offers mentorship, career tools and networking opportunities by establishing a subscription model similar to LinkedIn for a tailored experience.

Maya Dodson, a basketball player still active in a league overseas, is creating a roadmap for her own transition with the help of The Athlete's Advocate. When she hangs up her jersey, she plans to bring her talent for motivation to the forefront of her next step.

"I decided to start my newsletter about my experiences playing basketball overseas," Dodson says. "The Athlete's Advocate encouraged me, and I look forward to working with them in the future."

Dodson added that for her, a company that was founded from firsthand, similar experiences made it a resource she could trust.

"It's a platform that cares deeply about helping athletes — it's more than just finding a job," she says. "They want to make sure that people have the resources and community to be successful. They understand the struggle, context and experiences of athletes making the transition out of sports, which is invaluable."

Retired basketball player Awal Ajack felt confused and lost when faced with having to change her lifestyle, citing a "lack of direction." It wasn't until she learned about the available services from The Athlete's Advocate that she felt confident in navigating her post-player life.

"Connecting with other athletes reminded me that I wasn’t alone," Ajack says. "We often don’t talk about the silent grief that comes with ending a playing career. Hearing stories from others who had similar struggles and seeing where they are now gave me hope."

Ajack was surprised to find that the sense of community she had on the court still translated to other career paths.

"They offered real-life solutions, like how to network effectively or deal with imposter syndrome, and provided encouragement when self-doubt crept in," she says. "That community became my locker room all over again, just with different goals."

The shared understanding from other retired athletes allowed her to create meaningful relationships at The Athlete's Advocate events and even led her to a joint business endeavor. At an educational workshop, Ajack met a fellow former athlete who shared her passion for wellness and recovery.

"We hit it off instantly, and a few months later, we co-launched a business that now serves athletes in transition," she says. That opportunity wouldn’t have happened without the introduction and preparation I received through The Athlete’s Advocate."

Ultimately, Tac wants athletes to utilize her business by tapping into their potential to seamlessly plan and prepare for new opportunities rather than being hit with a daunting reality.

"I will continue to echo 'you are more than your sport — you're more than an athlete," she says. "'You're so many other things, and it's important for you to view yourself as that early on.'"