April 2022 AOTM: Cory Camp, Forever Athlete

Welcome back to TWN’s Athlete of the Month! Each month we are highlighting athletes in our network to share what they have accomplished outside of sports, their contribution to the athletic community and more! Make sure to check out our weekly newsletter to learn more about the athlete, what motivates them, and how to contribute to their cause.

Our April Athlete of the Month is Cory Camp - former Division I swimmer and Founder of Forever Athlete!

Cory’s swimming journey began in Maryland before he was given the opportunity to swim at the University of Delaware. He’s since retired from swimming, hosts a podcast, become a flow coach for retired athletes, and has authored a book. Cory’s unique path as an athlete himself and his time working as a mentor to athletes inspired him to create Forever Athlete. 

Forever Athlete is a platform focused on building conscious connections between those in their community. It’s an all-in-one home for high performers to be seen, heard, understood, and supported. They offer masterclass courses, community meet ups, and lifestyle optimization coaching for athletes, by athletes.

Cory is a great supporter of Tackle What's Next. He was on Episode 20 of our Timeout with TWN series. In the episode, Cory shared how he navigated his journey from swimming to becoming an entrepreneur and how he’s used his experience to holistically support other athletes in their next chapters.

“I think if you are a former athlete, whether you made it to high school, college, or beyond, it doesn’t matter. Athletics was a part of your life, the physical stuff is going to be a part of your identity. Now we have the option when it ends that it can look different.”

Here's our full interview with Cory Camp!

Why did you create Forever Athlete?

I created Forever Athlete because I didn’t identify as a former athlete. A few years out of college swimming, I felt like there was still a lot to grow and do in my life. When talking to other athletes, they felt the same way. That’s when I knew I had to create something that connected fellow growth seekers through both in-person and online communities, allowing them to truly connect with themselves in a way they hadn’t before.

What did being an athlete teach you about the work you are doing now?

Being an athlete taught me that at the end of the day, I do things for the love of the game. I think it’s easy to get caught up in the cliche answers of hard work, time management, etc, but all of those become easier when you’re enjoying what you do. I never want to lose sight of the fun in life.

What is the most important thing you did for yourself to start planning for life outside of sports?

The most important thing I did was give myself permission to sit with how I was feeling. For the first few years, I tried to run away from taking ownership of the next chapter of my life. The moment I chose to sit with my feelings, I got to work through them instead of letting them persist in my life. I’ve come to learn, feelings are flashlights if we allow them to be. Sitting with a feeling often allows us to learn more about ourselves and a true way forward to any solution we might be seeking.

How did you know you were ready to shift into that mindset of life outside of sports?

I knew I was ready to shift my mindset when I noticed a lack of fulfillment in my daily life. It felt like everyday was just going through the motions and it was very mundane. I missed the excitement that sports gave me so I got curious as to how we can find that same flow post sport.

What advice do you have for athletes about moving on from sports to their next chapter? 

My biggest advice is to stay curious. Curiosity leads to passion and passion leads to purpose. Don’t worry about finding your purpose beyond sport, you’ll evolve into it faster the more curious you are to try things out.

Thank you Cory for your incredible impact on the world of sports! It has been a pleasure to highlight Cory throughout the month of April. Be sure to check out Forever Athlete and support his work!