Dragic, Metz and Zonnier talk about life after sports. “The satisfaction and emotion found in sports is not present in work”

The end of a sporting journey is an important milestone in every athlete’s career, with its pitfalls and fears. The sports masters spoke about this today at a round table at the Maison Slovenien in Paris Ursa Zonil Jugovar, Tina Metz, Goran DragicMontenegro gold volleyball player Igor Vusulovich and kayakers Andraz Vihovar Acts as a content connector.

“Athletes go through their careers thinking that sport is the most important thing in life, but it’s not. Far from it. Young people need to know that there is life after sport and they need to be prepared for it. They will face injuries, training overload and even doping,” says Vihowar.

Athletes live a ‘dog’s life’

He likens the life of an athlete to that of a dog, because athletes get some kind of praise and treat for everything they do, but later in their careers, you have to chew on the big bones and meat. “When I first got the job, I was taken to a bank on the ninth floor and taken to a room with the door closed. But then I had to find myself,” he vividly describes.

Urška Žolnir Jugovar enjoys family life. Photo: Photo: Dejan Javornik

This is why it is so important for athletes to get psychosocial help when they switch to another career, to help them with their education and employment. The life changes are so big, so help is very welcome.

“Even before the last match in London, I knew I was going to end my sporting career. Everyone’s idea was that I should continue as a coach. Marian FarbjanBut the idea was not mine. ” Žolnir Jugovar, the first Slovenian Olympic gold medalist, describes the crossroads at the end of his sports journey.

She did this until the 2016 Rio Olympics, when she decided to finish her studies and take on a new challenge: “I need the adrenaline rush to do something I didn’t know. Even now, I try to improve every day, and that’s what I get from sport.”

There is no such thing at work

Maze also summed up the story of these snacks: “The problem is that we get used to it, but then at work it’s not there. But we are missing something, all the satisfaction and emotion in sports, which is not there at work. The road is hard, and I taught myself for ten years.”

“I think the most important thing is to find something in life that you are passionate about, a passion that makes you happy. Of course, I know that I will miss the excitement you feel when you walk into the hall and play in front of 30,000 people. But I also know that it doesn’t work anymore. As athletes, we have been doing what we love since day one, and we have to find that for the future,” said Goran Dragić, captain of the 2017 Golden Hoops team, whose career was cut short by multiple injuries.

Tina Maze, Eurosport. Photo: Personal profile

“Athletes are wolves who are ambitious, think positively, and know that the road to success is difficult. We are still in good shape, positive and not afraid of challenges. I like this definition: we have no problems, only challenges. We need guidance in this regard.” Vusulovic showed another new aspect of the end of his sports career. After being injured in an Italian league game, he first thought about the end of his career.

There are issues to discuss

“It’s important to talk about problems, especially when athletes who are better than you share ideas and pass them on. Young people need to see how we older athletes are doing and what the direction is. We change after our careers. Overcoming fear is an important part of sports,” Metz revealed one of the ways to do this.

She added that the status of female athletes is significantly different from that of male athletes, especially that they want a family and that as they age, more emotions accumulate in female athletes. Dragic brought up another aspect: “Being a father is difficult for me because in the NBA, my schedule is very busy and I don’t have enough time to spend with my children.”

Goran Dragic in a Chicago Bulls jersey. Photo: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

We take care of ourselves (Let’s take care of our own, op. Star Guard) is the title of the song Bruce Springsteen Vihovar sums it up as a tip for a second career, but he also emphasizes the help the athletes need. This arrangement is very different and reveals many problems.

In the NBA, they prepare for the end from day one.

It’s an effective NBA model. “They teach you from day one about life after your career. We all know you can quit tomorrow, and it’s not just about sports. You want to be the best on the court, of course, but you also have to take time for the future. We’ll play until we’re 80, but we know that’s impossible. At the beginning of my career, I didn’t want to talk about anything because I was too focused, but these things are important and former athletes have to show the way for the new generation,” Dragic said.

In Slovenia, the situation is often completely different. Vihovar said that during his school career he was faced with the fact that he had to choose between sports and studies many times. Dragic also confirmed this. In the season when he won the European Championship with the under-20 basketball team, he even had to take a make-up gymnastics test because he missed classes.

Urška Žolnir Jugovar, Sports Congress 2024. Photo: Leon Vidic/delo

Sometimes, it just doesn’t work due to the volume of training and competitions. Maze confessed that her life goal was architecture, but because of her busy career, she decided to study at the College of Education.

All outstanding issues are problems that society must solve for its adherents.