Abstract
After years of training and sacrifice, athletes catch the glory of winning on the field. Their efforts have been paid off. Society respect their hard working and achievements. However, professional athletes have to deal with numerous obstacles in their careers. These roadblocks may force athletes out of their sports easily. According to relevant literatures in career planning for athletes, it found that these career obstacles for professional athletes included short-lived career, a risky career (intensive competition and sports injury), highly pressure (accelerated life cycle and price of success). These hinders have a substantial effect upon professional athletes' career. To overcome these barriers, some specific educational training for athletes is indispensable. By reviewing relevant literature in career development for athletes, several education subjects were identified. These education subjects could be categorized into two areas. First, one type of training aims to extend the athletic career, which includes sports injury prevention, nutrition, stress management, media/public relations, and the session related to legal aspect. Another type of educational lesson is designed to assist athletes to prepare their retired life. The training topics consist of career planning, financial management and insurance purchasing. Obviously, these training sessions help professional athletes overcome career difficulties. However, the success of these educational initiates relies upon two key factors. First, whether the sports franchises or sports organizations support these ideas is critical. The organization officials understand that the cost of players account for the largest proportion of their investment. Under this circumstance, the sports clubs should protect their assets by arranging these lessons. Second, the professional athletes themselves should realize that they are responsible for their own future. Therefore, they should recognize the difficulties they have to cope with in their sports career. Also, professional athletes should understand the importance of these educational training in mapping out their future.