by Erich Rosenberger M.D.

Created on: January 28, 2010

Every year in America thousands of college and high school athletes dreaming of making millions as a professional. This dream only comes true for a small percentage of these men and women. Most athletes are aspire to become professionals play basketball or football, although there is a small number of baseball players. In general, an overwhelming majority of these athletes would be well served by having a college degree.

Professional athletes can have very short careers in their chosen sport. For example, the average career of an NFL running back is usually only a couple of years. Pro basketball players may last a little longer in terms of wear and tear on their bodies, but they have to maintain a very high level of performance year after year to keep their spot on the team.

Because it is very rare to play a professional sport for more than a few years, these players should always be thinking about what they are going to do after their retirement from the game. Unfortunately, many of them don't put much thought in to this until they find themselves without a team to play for.

Of of the best things an athlete can do to prepare for life after playing a game is to get a college degree. A degree can help ensure that a the player will be able to get a reasonable jub when they are done playing. Consider it a type of "career insurance".

Many pro athletes retire young enough to have an almost lifetime career after they are done with sports. I knew a fellow who played in the NFL for several years, even getting himself a Super Bowl ring with the Green Bay Packers in the 1990's. Injuries eventually forced him out of the game.

Luckily for this man, he had gotten his degree while he was in school. With that degree, he was able to apply to medical school. He is now a doctor, working in sports medicine to help other athletes who suffer injuries while they are playing. If he had not gotten that degree, he would have few options available to him when he was forced to stop playing.

For football and most basketball players, college serves as a "minor league". It can be very important for an overwhelming majority of these players to get their degree. Very few of them are every going to set foot on a professional team, and those that do have few guarantees that they will "make it big".

For all of these reasons, a college degree is important for professional athletes. There are very few reasons not to get a degree, and many reasons why it is a good idea.

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