Thought Leadership v4

How the NCAA prepares you (and fails you) for the pro circuit.

🗓 Thursday July 10th, 2025

For many college track and field athletes, the NCAA is the highest level of structured competition that they’ll compete in. Having access to unlimited resources from world-class facilities, elite coaching and athletic training staff, and unwavering support from their universities, the NCAA truly provides the full experience. However, when making their transition to the professional circuit, that safety net and support often completely disappears. 

The truth is, the NCAA both prepares and fails its track and field athletes for post-collegiate competition, and here’s why.

How the NCAA prepares track and field athletes:

🏆High-Level Competition

The NCAA is the single most competitive college circuit for track and field athletes. Attracting top talent from around the world, only the most elite athletes compete at the collegiate level. Track and field in college has gotten so competitive that placing in the top 20 in the nation means that you are a world-class athlete. With many of the NCAA’s conference and national championship meets being sanctioned by World Athletics, this makes competing in these meets more desirable for athletes trying to qualify for international-level competitions. 

📲Media Exposure

Track and field coverage has increased exponentially since the legalization of NIL. With the NCAA improving its coverage of meets on various networks and social media, it can help provide exposure for top athletes who are looking to make a name for themselves as they move into the professional space.

🗓Time Management 

Given the demands of being a collegiate athlete in the NCAA and having to balance academics, workouts, therapy sessions, and social life, this serves as a great habit builder before transitioning into being a pro. Navigating training at a professional level and for many athletes, balancing full-time employment is just as challenging.

How the NCAA fails track and field athletes:

❌Lack of Education on the Pro Landscape

Most athletes have no clue where to begin when deciding to officially “go pro,” in our sport. Nobody teaches you about the World Athletics system, how to enter into meets, where to find pro coaches/training groups, etc. It’s a system that’s built upon unspoken rules and regulations, forcing athletes to rely on their network or to figure it out for themselves.

❌No Support in the Transition

One thing the NCAA fails to help collegiate track and field athletes with is their transition to the professional circuit. Typically, once athletes graduate, access to information and resources regarding going pro disappears. Losing ties to their university, including to facilities and athletic training services, many athletes experience emotional distress trying to figure out how to proceed with competing at a high level. 

❌Little Name, Image, and Likeness Support

With the legalization of NIL in recent years, this has created numerous opportunities for track and field athletes to have their story told and their name known. However, there is still little to no support from the NCAA and its institutions that truly helps track and field athletes build out their brand ahead of going pro. With branding being a crucial part of the professional landscape, there is room for improvement and support here.

While the NCAA is a powerful starting point, it’s not a complete system. For that reason, many careers will end at graduation. At ProTrackletes, we’re building a support system that aims to combat these challenges and the lack of resources for aspiring and current pros. 

If you’re someone who is currently navigating this transition, or someone in the sport who wants to help, subscribe to our email list below!