Welcome to Professional Athlete Transition Services
Helping athletes after they've left the game
Growing up you were always likely the best athlete and it came easy and effortlessly. At some point you had to work: and work you did to the point somebody was willing to pay you to play a game you loved as a child and probably would have done for free. Then one day it came to an end. You were no longer "part of their future plans" or "we've decided to go in another direction". Phone calls stopped, accolades were reduced to mall signings (maybe) and you were left with the feeling of - So what's next? And you were likely just under 30 years old. The average career lengths and age at retirement for the major North American pro leagues are listed below.
The stars get the majority of the press but in reality they represent just 1-2% of players who make it to "the show". Most players are simply trying their absolute best to play for as long as they can in whatever role they can fill. The average length of career listed below will likely, and should, surprise you.
MLB 5.6 years; aged 28
NFL 3.3 years: aged 27
NHL 5.0 years: aged 28
NBA 4.9 years: aged 29.5
MLS 8.0 years: aged 31
With an average North American life expectancy of around 81 years the point is you will be retired from playing professional sports for a very very long time and you need a life plan. That's where PATS comes in and is there for you long after the lights have gone down and General Managers have removed you from their contact list.
New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, Toronto
With consultants in major North American cities, P.A.T.S advisors are available to come to you. However, the pandemic has taught us that bricks and mortar are no longer needed. In fact, 96% of consultations are done virtually. This means you can get the assistance you need anywhere you live the world.
Meet the founders
Dr. Michael Leatch
Mike is a psychologist, teacher and former hockey player. He realized early on that his athletic skills were not going to take him very far past U.S college hockey and transitioned through school into the helping professions. Mike has lived, gone to school or played in Canada, the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom. He enjoys all sports, music, motorcycles, cooking, Bailey & Tiggs (his pets) along with any adrenaline inducing activity. He lives with his wife, who is also a teacher, in Toronto, Canada.
Dr. Dave Tatera
Dave, a psychologist, is also a former athlete having played NCAA football. However, he also transitioned when he realized there was not much interest in a 5'10", 190lb linebacker in the NFL. Dave is based in Southern California and earned his graduate degrees at both Pepperdine and the University of Southern California. With his USC Phd in hand, Dave is now licensed in California, Hawaii, Colorado along with Illinois. Dave is also the owner of multiple motorcycles and enjoys exploring the backcountry on two wheels.