In the past few weeks, we’ve seen a rash of athlete retirement news: Super Bowl hero Nick Foles is hanging up his jersey, and two-time Olympic gold medalist and women’s sports pioneer Alex Morgan will play her final game for the San Diego Wave. For athletes, retiring can be a huge challenge that forces them to figure out life beyond their sport. But if they’re not careful, they could end up worse off than they were before their athletic career began.

Athletes often struggle to find identity outside of their sport, which can be especially hard when they retire at a young age. Retiring can also be financially challenging as they transition from high-end salaries to budgeting for elite training and equipment that can cost thousands of dollars a month. That can leave some Olympians and Paralympians on the verge of food stamps or credit card debt in their early post-athletic years.

Luckily, there are some athletes who have found nontraditional ways to adjust to the post-athletic world. For example, WNBA legend Sue Bird and former US women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe launched a podcast to explore the intersection of sports and equality and inclusion.

Meanwhile, a new survey revealed that nearly half of British Olympians and Paralympians don’t feel prepared for life after competitive sport. Athletes can’t just stop competing and expect to be successful in other areas of their lives, and they need more support than ever before to make the transition.