Athlete transition does not begin when the final whistle blows.

Athletes are constantly navigating change.

They enter new programs. They adjust to college. They suffer injuries. They lose starting positions. They move to the scout team. They transfer. They become parents. They lose loved ones. They graduate. And eventually, every athlete has to navigate life after their sport.

The question is: Who is helping them through those transitions?

In this episode, Edward Jones II continues breaking down the BEYOND Player Development Framework with the "N," which stands for Navigation.

Drawing from his experiences at the University of Houston, the University of Kansas, Baylor University, and Beyond The Field, Edward explains why programs need to identify the transitions athletes will experience and intentionally build support around them.

This episode focuses on four important questions:

• How are you helping athletes navigate the transitions they experience?

• What are the key transitions athletes are going through in your program?

• Where are athletes most vulnerable during those transitions?

• How are you staying connected with athletes during and after transitions?

Edward shares why some of his most important player development work happened outside his office, particularly in the training room.

An injured athlete is not simply recovering physically. That athlete may also be watching teammates travel without them, seeing someone else take their position, questioning their identity, and wondering what comes next.

The same vulnerability can exist for a highly recruited freshman who suddenly finds himself on the scout team, a player entering the transfer process, or a former athlete who wakes up after years of structured schedules and no longer receives the message telling him where he needs to be that day.

Those moments matter.

Programs should not wait until an athlete is struggling to think about transition.

Identify the transitions.

Determine where athletes are most vulnerable.

Create support systems.

Stay connected.

And remember that your responsibility to develop people extends beyond the moments when everything is going well.

Edward also shares his recent alumni check-in system, which includes intentionally reconnecting with former athletes at different points after they leave the program.

Navigation is more than preparing athletes for life after sports.

It is helping them successfully move through change while they are in your program and supporting them as they move into whatever comes next.

This episode is part of the BEYOND Player Development Framework:

B: Belonging

E: Education

Y: Your Purpose

O: Opportunities

N: Navigation

D: Development Systems

To learn more about the BEYOND Player Development Framework or bring Edward Jones II in to work with your program, complete the BEYOND Framework Assessment using the link in the episode notes.

Developing People. Elevating Programs.

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Complete the BEYOND Framework Assessment https://forms.gle/CC6DoBQGF8UkJj5h6