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What is life after sports like?

5 perspectives · Updated · 2 min read

Every athletic career ends, and many athletes find the transition harder than the sport itself.

The athletes here have seen it from different sides. Tom House watched teammates lose their identity. Val Whiting rebuilt hers and now helps other athletes do the same. Jon Dorenbos's career ended after a routine physical. Spencer Jones and Mitch Thrower talk about preparing while still competing.

Their answers cover identity, sudden endings, and building what comes next.

The short answer

The hardest part is identity. Tom House and Val Whiting describe athletes losing themselves when the uniform comes off, and Jon Dorenbos's career ended overnight. Spencer Jones and Mitch Thrower say the answer is building the next thing while you're still playing.

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Who you should listen to

Five athletes at different stages: two retired, one whose career ended without warning, one still in the NBA, and one who built companies alongside Ironman racing.

  • Tom House · Former MLB pitcher, founder of the National Pitching Association

    Listen for: Why identity is the hardest part.

  • Val Whiting · Former WNBA player and Stanford All-American

    Listen for: Grieving the player and rebuilding the person.

  • Jon Dorenbos · NFL Pro Bowl long snapper and magician

    Listen for: When a career ends without warning.

  • Spencer Jones · Denver Nuggets forward, sports tech investor

    Listen for: Building a network and skills while still playing.

  • Mitch Thrower · 22-time Ironman finisher, founder of Events.com

    Listen for: Carrying discipline from sport into business.

What do athletes say about retiring from sport?

Tom House

Tom House

Former MLB pitcher, founder of the National Pitching Association

Former MLB pitcher

Why themPitched in the majors, then spent decades coaching pitchers on velocity and arm health. Founded the National Pitching Association.

Tom’s advice: Athletes lose their identity when the uniform comes off; real life doesn't cheer for you.

Life after sports is a hard reframe. I watched guys lose their identity the day the uniform came off, because the game had been their whole self-worth, and real life doesn't cheer for you.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Val Whiting

Val Whiting

Former WNBA player and Stanford All-American

Former WNBA

Why themPlayed in the WNBA and for USA Basketball after winning multiple Pac-12 titles at Stanford.

Val’s advice: Grieve the player, then rebuild around the person.

For me, life after sports meant learning I was more than a box score. I had to grieve the player, then rebuild around the person, which is the work I now do with athletes.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Jon Dorenbos

Jon Dorenbos

NFL Pro Bowl long snapper and magician

NFL Pro Bowl

Why themPro Bowl long snapper for the Philadelphia Eagles who also performs magic on the big stage.

Jon’s advice: It can end without warning: a routine physical ended his career.

For me, life after sports didn't start when I wanted it to. A routine physical after the Saints traded for me found an aortic aneurysm, and just like that football was over.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Spencer Jones

Spencer Jones

Denver Nuggets forward, sports tech investor

Denver Nuggets

Why themPlays for the Denver Nuggets and invests in and advises health tech and sports tech companies.

Spencer’s advice: Build your network, skills, and ownership while you're still playing.

I don't know life after sports yet, but I'm building toward it now because the jersey gets attention while what you build around it determines whose attention you keep. I started posting on LinkedIn, joined Harvard's Crossover Into Business program, and invest in health and sports tech companies so that when basketball ends I already have a network, skills, and ownership to step into.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Mitch Thrower

Mitch Thrower

22-time Ironman finisher, founder of Events.com

22x Ironman

Why themFinancier and 22-time Ironman finisher who founded and chairs Events.com.

Mitch’s advice: The discipline and network from sport carry into everything after it.

I don't think of it as after sports. I ruptured my inner ear membrane in 2007 and spent months in strict bed rest, unable to train, and it taught me that movement is a gift, not a given. When I came back, the sport was still there, but the real engine, the discipline and the network, had already spilled into how I built companies and raised a family.

Answered by their Delphi on .
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Everyone’s advice at a glance

How 5 people answer: What is life after sports like?
WhoTheir advice
Tom HouseFormer MLB pitcher, founder of the National Pitching AssociationAthletes lose their identity when the uniform comes off; real life doesn't cheer for you.
Val WhitingFormer WNBA player and Stanford All-AmericanGrieve the player, then rebuild around the person.
Jon DorenbosNFL Pro Bowl long snapper and magicianIt can end without warning: a routine physical ended his career.
Spencer JonesDenver Nuggets forward, sports tech investorBuild your network, skills, and ownership while you're still playing.
Mitch Thrower22-time Ironman finisher, founder of Events.comThe discipline and network from sport carry into everything after it.

How to prepare for life after sports, step by step

  1. Expect an identity shift. Tom House and Val Whiting both say athletes struggle when the sport was their whole self-worth.

  2. Give yourself time to grieve. Val Whiting describes grieving the player before rebuilding around the person.

  3. Start building while you play. Spencer Jones posts, studies, and invests now so he has a network and skills when basketball ends.

  4. Bring the habits with you. Mitch Thrower says the discipline and network from sport carried into the companies he built.

Where they disagree

Tom House and Val Whiting focus on the loss of identity. Spencer Jones and Mitch Thrower focus on preparation, and Mitch Thrower doesn't see a clean line between sport and what comes after.

Frequently asked questions

Why is retiring from sport so hard?

Tom House says many athletes lose their identity when the uniform comes off, because the game was their whole self-worth.

How can athletes prepare for retirement?

Spencer Jones is building a network, skills, and investments while still playing in the NBA.

What if my career ends suddenly?

Jon Dorenbos's NFL career ended after a routine physical. Val Whiting works with athletes on rebuilding after sport.

The bottom line

Start building your life after sport before you need it, and expect the identity part to take the longest.

How this page was made

We asked this question to athletes and coaches on Delphi. Each quote is that person's Delphi answering in their own words, built from their own interviews, podcasts, and posts, and shown as given. Delphi wrote the introduction, the summary, and the steps from their answers. Last checked .

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