By: Engagement Insider
ATLANTA, GA October 30, 2013 – The dynamic evolution of the NFL’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) continued this week as the Player Engagement team set another new standard in setting up former players for success.
“We called this one Version 2.0 following our first one at TuftsUniversity in June,” said Patrick Kerney, the NFL’s brand new Vice President of Player Benefits and NFL Legends Operations, and one of the presenters and planners. “So we think as positive as Version 1.0 was at Tufts, we believe we made it even better.”
This new and improved edition was held at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, which Kerney said was a perfect venue
“The Southeast is conducive to our large alumni base of NFL legends, so we had a slightly higher attendance than Tufts, which made for another productive session as we used the positive feedback from the first one to sharpen the razor and make even more pertinent presentations.”
And as the first of its kind in professional sports, this concept is a direct descendent of a long-time NFL program, but with a twist as articulated by Kerney.
“Tufts was definitely new and represented a more holistic approach to transition. There had been the Career Transition Programs (CTP) in prior years, which is pretty descriptive in its title, and this still has that piece to it, but we understand now that getting that career up and running is far from encapsulating all the challenges of transitioning out of the game. So we are trying to address just about every issue we can think of for guys.”
Issues that led to innovations, such as spouses attending yet again after their first taste of TAP at Tufts.
“Last time we had great involvement from spouses,” stated Kerney, “and spouses again accompanied some of the attendees in Atlanta.”
Those attendees were treated to presentations over the past four days that included:
Felicia Hall Allen on “Making the Transition;”
Deb Weiler and Colleen Mills holding a Life Map Participatory Workshop;”
Leonard Wheeler and trained NFL Transition Coaches (former players) on “Psychological and Social Transition,” “Social & Emotional Priority Setting,” and “Communication & Relationships;”
Luther Elliss and Transition Coaches on “Life Transition With Family & Friends,” as well as Transition Coaches leading separate small group discussions on “Life Re-Imagined” and “Action Plans;”
Kerney on “Transitions & Finances,” as well as staging a session with David Tyree titled “Player Benefits.”
Jim Kranzusch on a “Career Development Planning” session;
And finally, food was front and center with a “Guys in the Kitchen” lunch, followed by a sessions on “Nutritional Planning” and “Exercising With a Post-Playing Body.”
All in all, a lot to digest for the two dozen or so attendees, but captured in the “Transition Playbook” that players left with to keep the momentum going as they successfully move into the NEXT phase of their life.