Next Chapter Athletes was created because we realized there really isn’t enough conversation about what happens when you’re not an athlete anymore.

For so much of our lives, being an athlete was a huge part of who we were. Our schedules revolved around practices, games, workouts, teammates, and whatever season came next. We always had something to work toward and a team of people around us who understood that lifestyle. Then eventually, it ends. Maybe you graduate, get injured, retire, or just realize it’s time to move on. Either way, you suddenly find yourself entering a completely different stage of life and becoming what we like to call a NARP, or Non Athlete Regular Person.

Next Chapter Athletes was started by former teammates Alexandria Barajas and Samantha Young after we realized how many of the same experiences we had after our athletic careers ended. We both knew what it was like to go from having sports be such a huge part of our identity to trying to figure out who we were without them. And the more we talked about it, the more we realized we definitely weren’t the only ones. Athletes spend years learning how to improve, compete, handle pressure, work as a team, and prepare for the next season. What we don’t really get taught is how to handle the day when there isn’t a next season.

That’s why we created NCA.

We want Next Chapter Athletes to be a place where current and former athletes can talk about what that transition actually looks like. The parts you miss, the parts you don’t, the loss of routine, figuring out new goals, finding new hobbies, making new friends, and learning who you are when your sport isn’t at the center of your life anymore.

We also started the #NARPhood Podcast so we could have those conversations with other athletes. We want to hear from people from different sports, backgrounds, and levels of competition about what life after sports has looked like for them. There isn’t one right way to move on from being an athlete, and sometimes it just helps to hear that someone else has gone through the same thing.

Our goal with NCA is pretty simple. We want to build the kind of community we wish we had when we were going through this ourselves. Because even when you stop competing, everything you gained from being an athlete doesn’t just disappear. The friendships, memories, discipline, lessons, and experiences you had are still part of you.

Your time as an athlete may be one chapter of your life, but it doesn’t have to be the whole story.

Welcome to Next Chapter Athletes and the #NARPhood. We’re excited to figure out what comes next with you.