The value of being a college athlete is high, but will it get you a job after college?

As a recent college athlete graduate, I have had this question constantly creeping up on me as I think about my future. At the moment, I am still enjoying my athleticism playing the sport I love overseas. In this long 7-9 month season, I find myself missing America and wondering if life is somewhat passing me by back home. My friends are starting careers and getting engaged or married. They are saving for or buying houses and dogs. These things are all on my ‘for the future’ list and recent talks about which job path I would choose has stirred some fears up. Will I be able to get a job I actually want?

I know first hand the value of athletics. I started with soccer at age 6 and have not stopped my participation in some kind of sport for longer than 3 months at any given time. In junior high I tried it all, soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball, track & field and one week of parent encouraged tennis lessons. In high school I narrowed it down to 3, volleyball, soccer and track & field. At around 15 years old I decided that volleyball was the biggest of the three passions and I wanted to try to play it in college. The summer after my senior year, I signed with the University of Texas to pursue that dream and by my senior season in burnt-orange we had made it to the NCAA Final Four. 

Sports helped me in so many ways throughout my life. I made friends and had an outlet for all that energy, as my parents would put it. I learned to communicate with coaches, parents and teammates whether I was fond of them or not. I realized what responsibility and hard work requires of an individual as well as how upsetting it can be when people do not value those commitments. I found that I could reach my physical and mental limits, as well as push past them if I wanted. I acquired problem solving skills and how to deal with conflict or criticism. I believe all these things to be useful in every day life and especially in the working world, but I am still concerned that it will not make up for a lack of actual work experience on my resume.

I have plenty of experience coaching camps and teams in volleyball, but what if that is not what I would like to do full time for the rest of my life. I enjoy coaching and watching my sport grow with new generations, but it would be something I would do part time by choice. Lastly, what if I have aspirations to work in a field that is no where near my degree major; is that reaching for Pluto? Would I have to go back to college?