Played Through the Finish Line
Hadley Kruse proves you don’t need a college jersey to carry the power of sport with you
Hadley Kruse didn’t walk away from her sport feeling unfinished—she walked away full.
“I didn’t play in college. But I got everything sport had to offer.”
She grew up in a small town, in a deeply athletic family, surrounded by the steady rhythm of practices, tournaments, and early morning lifts. From age five through her senior year of high school, Hadley was a multisport athlete—basketball, volleyball, soccer—who soaked up every lesson sport had to offer. She didn’t go on to play in college, but here’s the truth:
She didn’t have to.
She walked away with resilience. With work ethic. With the quiet confidence that comes from knowing she can outwork anyone in the room. And now, years later, those traits are showing up in full force—in how she leads, solves problems, and performs as a professional.
A Life Built on Sport
Hadley doesn’t remember a time before athletics. Sports were woven into her earliest memories—running routes with her dad in the yard, shooting hoops in the driveway, driving all over the country for camps and tournaments. Her dad coached many of her early teams. Her mom, a former D1 skier, never missed a game. “We were just a sports family,” she says.
By middle school, she was a full-blown three-sport athlete—and didn’t miss a beat. Camps, contact days, open gyms. If it was on the schedule, she showed up. Strength training started in 8th grade and ramped up from there. Mornings often began in the weight room. Structure was baked into every season, and Hadley loved it.
“I never had to create my own routine. Sport gave it to me. My dad gave it to me. It was just who I was.”
No D1 Dream—Just a Drive to Compete
What’s fascinating about Hadley’s story is how grounded it is. Despite her talent, she never chased a college offer.
“Academics always came first in our house. I knew the best school I could get into wouldn’t be the kind of place I could play sports at. And that was okay.”
She loved volleyball. She loved basketball. She won the most in soccer—but didn’t enjoy it. There was never pressure to pursue the next level. Just a drive to give her all to the current one.
Her proudest moment came senior year—taking down a rival volleyball team that hadn’t lost in seven years. The gym was packed. The student section was loud. And her team clawed back from a two-set deficit to win in five.
“It was the most exhilarating game of my life.”
The End Still Hurt
Hadley tried to mentally prepare for her final season. She gave it everything—trained harder, had more fun, and truly soaked it in.
But when she sprained her ankle during the final basketball playoff game, the tears weren’t about pain.
“I wasn’t crying because I was hurt. I was crying because I knew it was over.”
No matter how clear the path forward, the end of sport hits hard. And Hadley’s story reminds us: even when you walk away on your own terms, there’s still loss to process.
Life After Sport: Rebuilding Without the Routine
Hadley enrolled at Rice University, a highly academic school that didn’t have a huge sports culture. She was excited for the next chapter—but didn’t anticipate how much she’d miss the structure, community, and identity sport gave her.
“In high school, I was involved, respected, and confident. At Rice, I couldn’t find common ground with anyone.”
She eventually found her footing again—through long days of internship work, case prep, and club soccer. The grind returned. So did her confidence.
What she realized was this: her identity wasn’t just “athlete.” It was hard worker. It was teammate. It was leader.
Where Sport Could Have Done Better
Hadley’s transition out of sport was healthy in many ways—but it also revealed a gap in how athletes are taught to care for themselves.
She had no concept of nutrition—just ate what was served, burned it off, and repeated.
Recovery, sleep, and mobility were barely addressed.
Mental health and perfectionism? Never talked about.
“I felt like I had to be the 4.0 student, the team captain, the MVP, and a good person—every single day. No one told me it was okay to just chill.”
Now working in consulting and pursuing her personal training certification, Hadley is channeling her athletic energy into something more sustainable—focusing on longevity, movement, and eventually helping others do the same.
You Don’t Have to Play at the Next Level to Take the Best of Sport With You
Hadley is living proof.
She left sport at 18, and still shows up today with all the things sport promised: work ethic, self-awareness, leadership, and grit. I’ve worked alongside her. I’ve seen it firsthand.
Is she still learning to rest? Yep. Still figuring out who she’ll become? For sure. But she’s further ahead than most—and sport gave her that head start.
What About You?
💭 No matter what level you played at—how do you carry sport forward in your life today? What habits, mindsets, or lessons have stuck with you? Drop a comment or share your story—I’d love to hear it.
📬 Know someone who needs to be reminded their athlete story still matters? Pass this along.
