I Graduated… Then Checked If I Could Redshirt and Keep Playing

Are you still an athlete if you’re not competing anymore?In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with Zach, a former collegiate baseball player, to talk about the moment sport ends—and everything that quietly comes after it.Zach opens up about how his brain still defines “athlete,” why adult leagues don’t quite count, and what it actually felt like to hang up the cleats. From checking his college stats after graduating to see if he could’ve redshirted… to giving a final speech that was supposed to bring closure (but didn’t)… this conversation captures the subtle grief, confusion, and identity friction so many no former athletes carry without realizing it.We talk about why it’s so hard to work out when you’re no longer training for something, why being “coached” in fitness settings can feel deeply uncomfortable post-sport, and how much we miss the parts no one warns you about—the locker room jokes, the bus rides, the in-between moments of practice, and working toward one shared goal with your people.This episode isn’t about wanting to go back. It’s about understanding why that part of you never fully leaves—and how no former athletes learn to carry it forward into work, relationships, and everyday life.In this episode, we explore:How NoFos define “athlete” after competition endsThe emotional whiplash of knowing it’s over—but not feeling doneWhy many athletes stop training when sport disappearsMissing the team more than the gamesWhy adult leagues feel both healing and frustratingFinding competition, purpose, and camaraderie post-sportIf you’ve ever thought, “Mentally, I’m still an athlete… but I don’t know where that part of me fits anymore,” this episode is for you.