Get your degree while playing professional sport | Marie-Eve Paget
MARSAN (France) - I'd like to share something with you that's both very interesting and underestimated when it comes to the development of young players: combining sport and education.
I received a masters of teaching degree and can attest that it is possible to have a career in sport and get a university education at the same time.
Here are some options you might consider:
- University or College
Depending on where you live, you might have the opportunity to take part-time or night classes at a local university or college. These provide flexibility you may need considering the demands of a professional sporting career. - Online education / Distance education
Nowadays there is a great variety of educational options available online. Online education gives you greater accessibility and flexibility to work toward a degree during your busy basketball career. - Computer programs
Another option for those requiring a flexible education schedule is commercially available computer software. This option will not result in a formally recognized degree yet it can provide basic knowledge that you can use to further develop in certain career fields - Professional self-help books
Similar to commercial computer software, professional self-help books cover certain trades or pre-professional programs that can shed light on the fundamental details of your area of interest.
For me, important skills required to combine basketball and education are: organization, will, tolerance, perseverance, obstinacy and determination.
If you do set out to obtain a degree, I encourage you to go all the way through to graduation, even if you are playing basketball, for many reasons.
It will bring balance to your life and force you to meet new people with different backgrounds, and challenge your mind. On top of that, you'll have something to be proud of, and it's a great way to prepare for life after playing. You'll be able to avoid worrying about this during your career.
The original article can be found here.
