Athlete Spotlight: Beyond the Game

The true measure of an athlete’s legacy often extends far beyond the scoreboard. This issue of  Beyond the Game celebrates athletes who’ve redefined success after stepping off the field, court, or track—proving that transformation is its own kind of victory.

Take Serena Williams, who’s channeled her precision and drive into Serena Ventures, funding women- and minority-led startups shaping the future of tech and wellness. Her shift from athlete to venture capitalist embodies vision and empowerment.

Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade has stepped into new lanes—as a part-owner of the Utah Jazz and a dedicated advocate for LGBTQ+ youth through his Wade Family Foundation. His leadership continues to inspire, underscoring how teamwork and purpose translate far beyond basketball.

Former soccer icon Didier Drogba now champions healthcare and education initiatives in West Africa. His foundation builds hospitals and schools—proof that a global platform can spark real local change.

These athletes and many others remind us that life after the game isn’t an ending, it is an evolution.  Many college athletes who don’t go pro transition to business MVPs for example:

• Sammi Ekmark, a former Arizona State tennis player, pivoted after a career-ending ACL tear to co-found Ink'd Greetings, a personalized card company now generating over $25,000 monthly. "The most successful entrepreneurs are often those who have been athletes," she says.​

• Brendan Sullivan, a Yale pole vaulter, channeled his experiences with teammates' mental health struggles into ZAMA Health, a sports psychology platform for collegiate athletes and fitness enthusiasts.​

• And Tamir Goodman, once dubbed "the Jewish Jordan" by Sports Illustrated, co-founded Aviv Net—a basketball net that sanitizes the ball after every shot—merging his love of the game with innovation.​

Why they tend to rise

• Former athletes are heavily represented in leadership; some analyses suggest a large share of top executives have competitive sports backgrounds, reflecting how resilience, goal-setting, and pressure performance translate into corporate advancement.​​

• Athletes often stand out for adaptability, feedback tolerance, and commitment to team success, traits that help them move from entry-level roles into management and executive tracks over time.

Together, these stories underscore one idea: athletic identity is a launchpad, not a limit.