Today’s generation of athletes have often been labeled the 21st Century Athlete. And some of the common traits they possess are that they often appear unable to see beyond their own self-worth and self-importance. A lot of them are garnering more attention for their off-field/court behavior than they are for their on-field/court performance. So much so, that the 21st Century Athlete and their values are a big concern for many sports organizations.
However, many problems do not start with the pressure of on-field performance or with the uncertainty of retirement. In fact, approximately 80% of players were raised without a male role model in the home. Many of these young men experienced some trauma or witnessed domestic abuse. Additionally, many have a history of toxic relationships, financial problems, depression, child abuse, concussions and anger management issues. Their upbringing and their childhood environments form the basis of their adult reality. By the time these athletes are teenagers, they have experienced things that we could never imagine. These events that these young men experienced in their childhood are manifested during their pro careers. Money only magnifies what was already there to begin with. Add to these factors that most of them are only focused on the station WIFM, What’s In it For Me, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Who’s to blame for the 21st Century Athlete’s negative roles in today’s society? Well, it doesn’t really matter who is to blame, but understanding this can help to provide solutions.
· Is it the parent that pushes their kid extremely hard because they view them as the next rising superstar?
· Is it those persons that cover up the 21st Century Athlete’s misdeeds and transgressions thinking that they are keeping the athletes out of trouble, all the while, creating a life of expectations of no repercussions or accountability for the athlete?
· Is it society that gives them just as much, if not more attention, than celebrities via social media and alternative media outlets?
The truth of the matter is that all of the above factor into the equation of the creation of the 21st Century Athlete. Sports organizations have their hands full today trying to keep the 21st Century Athlete’s reputations secure both on and off the field and court. As more players gain negative attention for their off-field/court actions, it continues to cost organizations money, time doing damage control, and bad publicity. Because the 21st Century Athletes are looked upon as role models to so many young people, it is imperative that organizations empower the 21st Century Athlete to help them develop a greater sense of personal values, character and integrity.
Now that we understand just who the 21st Century Athlete is, what are some of the things that can be done to empower rather than criticize them? Let’s take a look at five empowerment tools:
1. Mentoring – The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines a mentor as “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.” Mentoring for the 21st Century Athlete is the process of aligning themselves with a veteran or retired athlete to learn the “do’s” and “don’ts” of a professional athlete. Mentors can assist in closing the disconnect between this generation of players and the previous generation. Working on enhancing communication skills of the athlete through scenario-based training and providing mentoring from retired athletes and business professionals helps the 21st Century Athlete make the right decisions.
2. Self-awareness – The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines self-awareness as an awareness of one’s own personality or individuality. Teaching self-awareness techniques to ensure athletes respond appropriately to situations by making them aware of their strengths and their limitations, will assist the athlete to progress forward in life. By providing the 21st Century Athlete with the personal capacity for introspection and the ability to recognize themselves as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals, they will be able to readily identify those behaviors that need to be changed. Self-awareness techniques provide the 21st Century Athlete with a clear perception of their personality, including the athletes’ strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and their emotions. Self-awareness techniques will also allow the 21st Century Athlete to understand other people, how they perceive the athlete and the athletes’ attitude so that they can adjust their responses accordingly.
3. Money management – Wikipedia describes money management as “….the process of managing money which includes investment, budgeting, banking and taxes. It is also called investment management.” More often than not, because of their up-bringing, the 21st Century Athlete has not been equipped with the financial literacy tools necessary to appropriately handle the millions of dollars that immediately come their way after signing lucrative contracts. Things we take for granted such as balancing a checkbook and savings, are foreign languages to them. Because of a lifetime spent longing for material possessions, and the sudden financial ability to fulfill these desires, a recipe for desire is sometimes created.
We must somehow help them to understand that importance of making money yield the highest return on investment. That is not to say that the 21st Century Athlete should not enjoy their financial success, only that it should be done judiciously and prudently. Frugality rather than extravagantly should be the adjective describing the 21st Century Athlete’s spending behavior. Providing a step-by-step money mapping system for the 21st Century Athlete, will insure that they have the necessary money management skills to properly oversee their new found wealth and make better choices throughout their careers and afterwards as well.
4. Image/Personal Brand management – Our images and personal brands are everything. How we are viewed by others, be it negative or positive, defines how the world views us. After all, perception is the only thing greater than reality. It takes a lifetime to build a positive reputation, but only one bad decision to destroy it. Maintaining a positive personal image/brand is essential to the 21st Century Athlete. Endorsements are based on the 21st Century Athlete’s personal image/brand. If it is one that is viewed as negative, that athlete will not be offered endorsement opportunities. Because the 21st Century Athlete is regarded as a role model to many of the younger generation, it is imperative that these athletes become more proactive in improving and maintaining a positive personal image/brand. This can also lead to an increased bottom line for them by increasing their marketing opportunities. Utilizing tools such as the SMART system to set realistic and measurable goals in areas such as image/personal brand management will help the 21st Century Athlete to maintain a positive personal presentation of themselves to the world.
5. Social media skills – How many athletes have we seen engage in “Twitter Beefs” with other athletes? How many athletes have we seen post something inappropriate only to remove it later after they have been reprimanded for the post? In today’s 24 – 7 instant society, the 21st Century Athlete must be even more vigilant in portraying a positive image when interacting in the social media world. Being reactionary is no longer enough. Receiving personalized branding and social media training to preserve their image as a role model helps to avoid “Twitter Beefs” altogether.
By providing training in the above five areas to the 21st Century Athlete, the athlete will become a more well-centered individual functioning well in their chosen field of athletic endeavor and in the real world. A well-centered athlete performs better on the field/court. Increased athletic performance leads to increased wins which leads to championships and the ultimate result is increased revenue for the athlete and the organization.
By helping the 21st Century Athlete to develop through focusing on increasing their mental strength and providing training and coaching in areas such as branding, finances, social media skills, self-awareness plus so much more, todays athletes can succeed and enjoy all of their successes more on and off the field/court. Through the usage of structured programs like iSuccess Consulting’s P3 Sports Acceleration ProgramTM, the 21st Century Athlete can be consistently provided with clarity, accountability and strategies to assist them in becoming successful leaders on and off the field and court.
About iSuccess Consulting, Inc.: A small business performance strategy firm that has more than 20 years of experience assisting clients with increasing revenue, streamlining processes and empowering teams. We focus on developing the 21st Century Athlete through ourP3 Sports Acceleration Program™ that provides organizations with brand management and athletes with the tools to become athlete leaders off the court/field.