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Coaching!

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During their playing days, doesn’t the athlete have a head coach?  Don’t they have a specialized coach on the sidelines?    Doesn’t the athlete have a coach for his contract (meaning his/her agent)?   Doesn’t the athlete have a strength & conditioning coach (also known maybe as a trainer)?   Today’s athlete may even have a diet coach (meaning a personal chef).

Why then do most athletes not have a financial coach?   Why can’t they have someone who works like a head coach where they teach the athlete about something on a daily or weekly basis?  Or maybe they do and simply were not happy with him/her?   In reality, the financial coach is the most important one.   The financial coach is the only necessary one of all mentioned above.  I challenge anyone who can argue that an agent or strength and conditioning coach will still be with the athlete five, ten, and twenty five years after his playing days are over.

How has it come to pass that 95% of the time I receive a resounding no to the question posed to the athlete “Are you saving as much as you could have, should have, or want to?”  Part of the reason could be that people will refer an athlete to a personal chef or a personal trainer or a realtor but few athletes refer a financial coach to another athlete.   The reason: I will make the statement it is because of society’s “I want it now” attitude.   Referring a great agent to an athlete, referring a super trainer to an athlete, or a wonderful personal chef, produces “immediate gratification”.   The athlete sees immediate results.  Referring a “financial coach” could take years to produce results.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue with anyone wishing to do so.

Disclosures.  The information contained herein is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.  Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.  Further, the information herein is intended solely to provide general information and does not constitute a promotion of any offerings or products.  Donald J. Kushner is an independent financial advisor with Arque Capital, Ltd., and does business as DK Sports Financial.  Arque Capital, Ltd., and DK Sports Financial are unrelated entities.  Securities offered through Arque Capital, Ltd.  7501 E. McCormick Parkway, Suite 111 North Court, Scottsdale, AZ 85258.  (602) 971-9000.  Member FINRA/SIPC.  Any unauthorized reproduction of this information is strictly prohibited.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.