Image by Keith Johnston via Pixabay
Written By: Elena Sarkissian
Are you an athlete, wondering if you are going to find work after college? Are you feeling pressure from trying to balance schoolwork, practices, and games? It is important to plan ahead and learn how social media can benefit your athletic career, as well as your career after graduation.
Personally, as a volleyball player in college, I can say that it can be very stressful to get homework done when most weekends and weekdays revolve around games and practices. In addition, balancing work on top of that adds a different level of stress. The feeling of needing to drop a sport for a job related to your field puts even more pressure on your shoulders.
Many athletes that I know tend to procrastinate their schoolwork and constantly feel like their work load is nonstop. Especially when you are doing sports, work, and school, it can be hard to let your brain rest at times. College students are prone to having more stress and anxiety because of the activities and work they become a part of. The crazy part is that we, as college students, are told to get involved in activities that will boost your resume however, these activities take up a lot of time that we could be focusing on school and work. The benefit of being a student athlete is that successful sports students can lead to a social role that encourages other athletes at the beginning of their career.
According to an article called, “The Role of Mass Media in Promoting the Dual Career of the Performance Athlete”, mass media creates interest and content in the sports field. Mass media and sports work hand in hand because nowadays, athletes use social media and television to keep up with other professional sports. In addition, this article emphasizes the importance of mass media in relation to sponsorships and brand partnerships for athletes. Combining mass media and education with sports leads to dual career. Dual career refers to the attempt of athletes to combines sports performance with education or work and is a continuous concern for athletes.
The purpose of the article, “The Role of Mass Media in Promoting the Dual Career of the Performance Athlete”, was to determine the role that mass media has or can have in the development of the dual career concept. A survey was conducted using 30 people who work in mass media regarding their opinion about dual career. Three questions were asked during this survey; 1. Does mass media play an important role in promoting “dual career” and the performance athlete’s profile?, 2. Does mass media have the quality to promote “dual career”, 3. Is the promotion of performance athlete’s profile determined by mass media.
The results of this study were that 24 people associated dual career with a way to have simultaneous professions, including sports and education. It is very difficult for athletes to not only have a job sports wise, but also having a job as a student however, the sports institutions that coverage around athletes, such as ministries, clubs, and managers, can contribute to the development of the athlete’s image in society. In turn, “these organizations, in order to be effective, need public visibility, and the aspects presented should be directed towards the positive values of dual career. If the people around the athlete are well educated around the importance of balancing both sports and a career afterwards, it is more likely that the student will be successful. Furthermore, mass media is not only beneficial for a student athlete, but also for the athlete after graduation.
Communication channels, such as social media, are key for employment. Nowadays, mass media is used on all platforms to get in touch with students for athletic scholarships, job opportunities, internships, and much more. There are attributes in an athlete that are important in order to balance sports and a job. This includes determination, the ability to adapt to unforeseen situations, and the ability to show impeccable conduct. These are all attributes that can be taught if you learn early on.
Overall, it is okay to be stressed and not know what the future holds when you are a student athlete. However, it is important to plan your future afterwards and discover the opportunities that are presented for you.