Who You Are Versus What You Do: A Conversation With SAAC Student-Athletes
Division III SAAC Chair Megan Koch of Colorado College and DIII Representative to the NCAA Board of Governors Isaiah Swann of UT Dallas join ADU’s Tai M. Brown at the 2023 NCAA Convention for a conversation about navigating the transition out of collegiate sport. Koch and Swann discuss the challenges of “retiring” from sport and the introspection and inner dialogue that occurs when taking the next step in their athletic and academic journeys. Koch explains the distinction between setting goals and finding purpose while Swann opens up about the process he went through to redefine his identity once his competitive athletic career was over.
The conversation is indexed below for efficient viewing (click the time stamp to jump to a specific question/topic).
00:00 - Introduction
01:36 - How have you navigated the transition from being an active student-athlete to a former student-athlete?
04:36 - How did your support systems help you navigate the change in your identity after you completed your college athletic career?
07:05 - What questions have you asked yourself over the last six months as you "retired" from college athletics?
10:12 - Describe yourself without using the word "sport" or any terms specific to the sport you played in college.
13:34 - Have you developed any "founding principles" for your post-athletic career identity?
15:35 - Who did you tap into to help you arrive at "your purpose"?
19:53 - What are your thoughts on how you'll "adjust accordingly" to whatever life throws at you in the near future?
