The former Joliet and USF basketball star wants retiring players to see life after sports not as an end — but as a beginning
For most of her life, Andriana Acosta knew the rhythm. Morning lifts. Afternoon practices. Game nights, travel weekends, post-game cooldowns. It was a cadence built around sweat, structure, and the steady pulse of a basketball bouncing somewhere in the background.
“When I came home from Australia, it was the first time I didn’t have school or sports anchoring my days,” Acosta said. “And I thought, ‘Now what?’”
It’s a question many athletes whisper in silence. Acosta is choosing to answer it — loudly, and for others.
The former Joliet Catholic Academy and University of St. Francis standout, who has played professionally in Ireland and Australia, has launched Purpose Beyond Play, a company dedicated to helping athletes transition from competition to real life.
When the Lights Go Out, What’s Left?
Retirement in sports often comes suddenly. An injury, a roster cut, a final overseas contract. But what follows is rarely part of the game plan.
Acosta felt that gap acutely.
“It wasn’t just boredom,” she said. “It was identity loss. For years, you’re introduced as ‘the athlete.’ Then that’s gone. You’re just… someone else now. But who?”
The data supports what Acosta experienced:
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60% of athletes report struggling to rediscover their identity post-retirement
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33% face mental health challenges like anxiety or depression
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80% feel unprepared for life after sports, career-wise
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70% lack financial literacy once paychecks stop
“People assume athletes are set. That once the jersey’s off, they just move into coaching or broadcasting. That’s not the reality for most of us,” Acosta said.
What Purpose Beyond Play Offers — and Why It’s Different
Unlike generic life-coaching platforms or player associations focused only on job placement, Purpose Beyond Play focuses on holistic, proactive development. It’s designed by an athlete, for athletes — and it knows transition is more emotional than logistical.
Key Program Pillars:
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Identity Discovery: Helping athletes redefine who they are without the sport
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Financial Literacy: Budgeting, investing, and managing money post-career
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Health & Wellness: Nutrition and physical maintenance beyond performance
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Career Pathways: Translating sports skills into real-world job roles
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Community Building: Connecting with other former athletes for shared support
“We’re not telling people to forget their sport,” Acosta said. “We’re saying: ‘That chapter made you. But the book isn’t done.’”
Acosta’s Journey: From Joliet to Limerick to Startup Founder
Acosta’s own trajectory was far from linear.
A high school standout at Joliet Catholic Academy, she went on to dominate at the University of St. Francis. Overseas contracts followed — most recently in Australia, and next, a return stint in Ireland with the Limerick Celtics.
She began sketching out what would become Purpose Beyond Play. Late nights of journaling turned into program frameworks. Calls with former teammates became informal focus groups. Acosta realized she wasn’t the only one craving more than nostalgia.
“There were so many messages like, ‘I wish I had this when I retired,’” she said.
Retired Athletes by the Numbers
| Challenge Faced Post-Retirement | Percentage of Athletes Affected |
|---|---|
| Identity Crisis | 60% |
| Mental Health Issues | 33% |
| Career Transition Difficulties | 80% |
| Financial Unpreparedness | 70% |
Purpose Beyond Play uses these statistics not as scare tactics, but as validation — proof that the problem is real, widespread, and desperately in need of solutions.
Building a Bridge to the Next Game
Athletes are taught to specialize early — train hard, focus, eliminate distractions. But that mindset can leave them under-equipped for “the rest of life.”
“The truth is, athletes have amazing soft skills,” Acosta said. “We just need to help them translate that.”
She’s right. Former players bring discipline, time management, resilience, emotional intelligence — traits employers value but athletes often undervalue in themselves.
What Acosta is doing is reframing.
“You worked through pain. You led under pressure. You adapted to fast-paced change,” she said. “That’s not just a game story. That’s a job interview answer.”
Not Just for the Elite
Purpose Beyond Play isn’t just targeting household names or Division I athletes with shoe deals. Its audience includes:
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Former college players unsure what’s next
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Pro athletes abroad approaching the twilight of their careers
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High school stars whose journey ends sooner than expected
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Injured players forced into retirement early
“I don’t care if you played in the WNBA or NAIA. If you wore a jersey, this is for you,” Acosta said.
The Locker Room May Be Empty, But You’re Not Alone
A striking feature of Purpose Beyond Play is its mentorship network. Every participant is paired with a former athlete who’s walked the path — someone who understands the weird emotional whiplash of going from team captain to new hire, from highlight reels to 9–5 commutes.
