Vancouver, BC- When student-athletes reach the end of their U SPORTS careers, some will have professional opportunities, but for many, it is the end of their sporting careers.
After four or five years of university athletics, nearly every athlete will have dedicated their lives to sporting excellence and have built their identity around a ball, puck or racket.
Enter “The Playbook,” a new networking initiative that aims “to help student-athletes grow their professional network, establish a plan they believe in, and gain valuable work experience, all with the intention of finding your identity outside of sports.”
Founded by former student-athletes for current student-athletes, the program offers a never-before-seen support system designed to help student-athletes compete and thrive once their playing days are over.
“There is a gap that exists between the support a student-athlete receives to pursue excellence in their sport as opposed to pursuing excellence in life,” said Briana Wice, Founder of The Playbook, in a press release.
The Playbook will consist of a private LinkedIn group open to all U SPORTS student-athletes, work experience platforms, articles, and a pair of podcasts.
“The Playbooks exists to serve as a hub that will provide inspiration, guidance, and support for student-athletes who want to discover and pursue their potential beyond the realm of sport, in preparation for their life after university athletics.”
‘The Playbook Podcast’ and ‘Safe Space’ will feature university student-athletes who will be interviewed and engaged about their experiences outside of sport and thoughts on representation, being BIPOC, sexism ableism, etc. The Playbook will also feature student-athlete articles with a similar motive.
“The group that has come together to bring this vision to life is extremely impressive,” explained Wice. “However, we aren’t saying ‘be like us.’ Rather we’re saying, ‘let us challenge you and provide you with tools to discover who you are and what drives you; so that student-athletes can begin to leverage all that they are.”
‘The Playbook Podcast’ wil be hosted by former York Lions student-athlete and current McMaster Marauders Sports Information Director, Muad Issa, alongside 2016 OUA Women’s Volleyball Champion Jessie Nairn. Meanwhile, McMaster rugby’s Payton Shank will host ‘Safe Space.’
For more information and to learn about the people behind The Playbook, please click HERE, and for student-athletes looking to join the LinkedIn group, please click HERE.
FOLLOW THE PLAYBOOK ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM @TheXPlaybook
Press Contacts: Teni Odetoyinbo, Head of Community Engagement | contact@thexplaybook.com
Monique Simon-Tucker, Head of Business Development | bizdev@thexplaybook.com
Cover photo: Courtesy of The Playbook