International Athlete Development and the Skills That Truly Matter
Day 9 of the 12 Days of Player Development
International athlete participation is skyrocketing across nearly every sport. If you have spent any time in college or professional athletics recently, you have seen it firsthand. From football to basketball to Olympic sports, international student athletes are not just participating, they are contributing, leading, and reshaping programs.
With that growth comes responsibility. Developing international student athletes cannot be a one size fits all, American cookie cutter approach. It requires intention, listening, and care.
I have been fortunate to work with international athletes from Australia, Liberia, Canada, China, and Nigeria throughout my career in athlete development. Those experiences shaped how I think about programming, skills, and what development actually means for athletes navigating a new country, culture, and system.
Before diving in, if you want to see practitioners doing exceptional work in this space, make sure you follow Scarlen Martinez and Timothy F. Bryson. Their work continues to push this conversation forward.
Below are three principles I believe every program should consider when supporting international athlete development.
1. Identify the Skills That Best Fit Their Future
The first step is not building a workshop. It is having a conversation.
When working with international student athletes, I always wanted to understand their goals before designing programming. Do they plan to stay in the United States after graduation? Do they want to return home? Do they want to show their families back home tangible growth beyond athletics?
Those answers matter.
Instead of saying, “Here is the American way to develop,” sit down and ask:
What skills would help you most?
What do you want to learn while you are here?
What would matter back home for your family and community?
Yes, there will be overlap with standard player development skills. Leadership, communication, and career readiness translate everywhere. But development is far more powerful when it starts with what the athlete values, not just what the program offers.
That conversation alone communicates care. It tells the athlete, “You matter here as an individual.”
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2. Create Programming Through a Shared Sense of Belonging
Once you identify the skills that matter, the next step is how you deliver them.
Belonging is critical for international student athletes. Many are navigating new systems while being far from home. One of the most effective approaches is connecting programming to existing cultural or national communities on campus.
For example, if you have an athlete from Liberia or Nigeria, are there African Student Associations on campus? Cultural student groups? Community organizations nearby?
Collaboration creates comfort. It allows athletes to learn in spaces where they already feel seen while still gaining skills that support their growth.
Player development does not have to live only inside the athletic building. Sometimes the most impactful programming happens when you step outside of it.
3. Ensure Programming Is Effective Through Ongoing Communication
Programming is not successful just because it happened.
The final and most important step is feedback. Sit down with the athlete afterward and ask:
What worked for you?
What did not?
What would you want more of next time?
Do you want to explore additional skill areas now?
Development should evolve. Some athletes may want to start with skills that connect closely to home, then gradually lean into American systems of career development and leadership. That is growth.
Without communication, we guess. With communication, we improve.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
International athlete development is not slowing down. Programs like NFL Pathways and the NFL Academy continue to expand access and opportunity.
Recently, while watching the Kansas City Chiefs, I saw Chu Godrick step in at right tackle. He spoke at the 2025 Player Development Summit in Kansas City and is from Nigeria. Seeing his journey up close reinforced why intentional development matters.
These athletes are not just participating. They are paving paths for others to follow.
Learn More and Stay Connected
If you want a deeper look at how to build skill based, intentional player development systems, I break this down in The Player Development Guide. It is a practical resource for professionals who want to develop people, not just programs.
If you want to learn directly from practitioners doing this work at a high level, join us at the 2026 Player Development Summit in Detroit. We will have professionals in the room who are actively developing international student athletes across sports and levels.