Examples of people who overcame adversity and rose to success.

Beyond the medals and pride, the "gift" that athletes receive after years of hard work for their country's sports is resilience, discipline, and a progressive spirit. These are all qualities that will help these sports heroes persevere in their post-career journey.

Báo Thanh niên•16/06/2025

Recalling the memories of winning the SEA Games 21 (2001) with the Vietnamese women's national team, veteran coach Steve Darby still remembers the image of the petite but energetic and spirited midfielder, ready to "battle" opponents taller than her. That was midfielder Bui Thi Hien Luong, the key player in the journey to winning the first SEA Games gold medal in the history of Vietnamese women's football.

Bui Thi Hien Luong's path to football was not smooth. It began with her days playing on concrete pitches with boys, fighting with a fierce spirit, as she herself admits, "I was always stubborn, unwilling to lose to anyone." From trying out for the youth team of Hoa Hoc Tro Newspaper, to pursuing a professional career alongside senior athletes at the Quan Ngua Sports Center (Hanoi), Bui Thi Hien Luong always believed: whatever you do, you must do it with all your might, because what you do, whether it's part of your profession or not, reflects a part of your character and personality.

- Ảnh 2. — Former captain Bui Thi Hien Luong (in red shirt, receiving flowers) of the Vietnamese women's national team is now the head of football at the Vietnam Sports Department and holds a PhD.

Wearing the number 9 jersey, and with the complete trust that coach Darby placed in her (Darby wanted the Vietnamese women's national team to play like Italian club AS Roma), Bui Thi Hien Luong reached the pinnacle of her career with the Southeast Asian championship. Her intelligent playing style, based on judgment, observation, and vision, helped Hien Luong overcome her physical weaknesses to shine brightly.

It was her years of competition that forged Bui Thi Hien Luong's resilience, discipline, and unique mindset. Even while still playing, this petite woman had already decided: she couldn't rely solely on the sport; she had to prepare for her future after retirement.

With her gold medal at the 21st SEA Games, Bui Thi Hien Luong was directly admitted to the Bac Ninh University of Physical Education and Sports (or what people in the field often call the Tu Son Sports School). The former national team player chose to study while still competing. "I invested my own money in my education. Every time I finished training at 5 pm, I would ask Coach Darby for permission to shower early, get dressed, and then travel 40 km from the National Sports Training Center in Hanoi to the Bac Ninh University of Physical Education and Sports for evening classes (starting at 7 pm), and then return home that same night."

For many years, Hien Luong balanced competition with her studies. For the captain of the Vietnamese women's national team, studying, although costly in terms of money (especially when paying for failed courses) and time and effort, was the path for the athlete to build a solid foundation, preparing for a future away from sports.

"I still remember when I was writing my graduation yearbook at Bac Ninh University of Physical Education and Sports, I listed my workplace as 'Sports Committee'. People looked at me as if... I had some kind of problem, wondering why I was dreaming of such a high and distant place. I simply thought, 'I'll just keep writing, I'll keep having aspirations, who knows, maybe if I work there later, my classmates will know and come visit,'" former striker Bui Thi Hien Luong recounted.

- Ảnh 3. — Former captain of the Vietnamese women's national team, Bui Thi Hien Luong, is now the head of football at the Vietnam Sports Department and holds a PhD.

The fruits of her labor came when the former women's team midfielder spent a year working at the National Sports Training Center in Hanoi, and then earned a specialist position at the Sports and Physical Education Committee (now the Vietnam Sports and Physical Education Department). Bui Thi Hien Luong's persistent efforts in the sports industry, in various roles, bore fruit when her former student, coach Darby's protégé, earned a PhD and became the head of football at the Vietnam Sports and Physical Education Department. A true "female general" of football!

Vietnamese sports are not lacking in examples of success. Among the leaders in the sports sector, notable figures include Mr. Nguyen Nam Nhan, a former high jump record holder, high jump and triple jump coach, who now serves as the Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City. Also noteworthy is Mr. Dang Ha Viet, former Director of the Vietnam Sports Department, who was once an athlete and coach of the Ho Chi Minh City basketball team.

- Ảnh 5. — Mr. Nguyen Nam Nhan, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, was formerly a high jump athlete.

In terms of professional work, many famous athletes, after retiring, have become excellent coaches, nurturing many generations of talented athletes, such as Coach Nguyen Thi Nhung (shooting), Coach Truong Minh Sang (gymnastics), Coach Nguyen Thu Ha (artistic gymnastics)...

A common trait among successful people is their strong spirit of self-learning. Dr. Bui Thi Hien Luong affirms that learning must stem from interest: "I enjoy learning because I know that through education, I will always be able to broaden my horizons, stay updated, and gain new insights." Years of competitive experience help athletes understand the workings of national sports, empathize with the psychology of athletes, and later become talented managers and coaches, or leverage their existing fame and connections from their competitive careers to pave the way for their professional lives.

For athletes, the struggle and competition don't just happen on the competition floor, but also in life after retirement. Maintaining a spirit of training and self-improvement is essential to compete with other "rivals" and establish one's position, no matter what profession they pursue.

Coach Truong Minh Sang has nurtured many talented athletes for Vietnamese gymnastics. He started as a high-level athlete before transitioning to coaching.

PHOTO: KHANH LINH

However, athletes cannot build their careers "alone"; they desperately need support. There have been examples of success, but these are only a few and do not paint the overall picture of the uncertain future of athletes after they retire.

An anonymous athlete confided that, at times, it's unavoidable to feel uncertain about the future after retirement, understanding that not everyone has the opportunity or the necessary skills to pursue a career in sports management or coaching. The thought of having to start everything from scratch makes many feel insecure.

Another athlete, a former world champion at the peak of their career, confided that despite having a strong brand and earning a decent income, they couldn't be certain about their future in the years to come, as the effects of success might wear off and fans might no longer remember them. This is also a common sentiment among many, whether famous or not, that perhaps in today's sports world, one simply takes things as they come.

- Ảnh 10. — 'The Iron Rose' of Vietnamese shooting - Coach Nguyen Thi Nhung hopes that career guidance for athletes will be given more careful attention.

Coach Nguyen Thi Nhung, who has trained many talented shooters for the Vietnamese shooting team, believes that despite the efforts of the sports sector, there are still shortcomings in career guidance for athletes.

"The sports sector needs to link career guidance with universities, colleges, academies, and vocational schools so that athletes can test their abilities, develop their potential, and find new paths. In addition, it's necessary to create the best possible conditions for athletes to obtain degrees from sports schools. Talented athletes also need special treatment and incentives, creating opportunities to become coaches. Currently, I see that the sports sector lacks centers for training job skills for athletes. They need to be given 'fishing rods,' meaning training in soft skills and career guidance, not just financial support. Therefore, many families are still hesitant to let their children pursue a career in sports," former coach Nguyen Thi Nhung analyzed.

- Ảnh 11. — Coach Nguyen Thi Nhung, a successful coach in Vietnamese shooting, hopes that career guidance for athletes will be given more careful attention.

The guiding role of coaches is also very important. Coach Truong Minh Sang of the men's gymnastics team affirmed: "Currently, the state and the sports sector have created more opportunities for athletes to pursue further education. Many universities outside the sports sector, such as the University of Economics - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and Hoa Sen University (Ho Chi Minh City), have expanded direct admissions for outstanding athletes, giving them the opportunity to access new fields of study and overcome the 'traditional' notion that athletes must continue their education in sports (because not everyone can pursue a coaching career after retirement). However, alongside this, coaches, who are the closest to the athletes, need to listen to their thoughts, guide them, create conditions for athletes to learn new things, and balance their studies and schoolwork." (to be continued...)