CAREER TRANSITION WITH OLYMPIAN AND OLYMPIC COACH EDDIE DENIS (BROUGHT TO YOU BY ORD MINNETT)

“Along with being the vehicle of my sporting dreams, I have been fortunate that Water Polo has also been the basis of my professional working life.”

When it comes to pursuing a career in the sport you love, Eddie Denis knows better than most.

Having played for Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and capping up for Australia on more than 220 occasions during his career, Denis’ affinity with water polo has stood the test of time.

“I first noticed water polo when the Aussie Sharks were competing at the LA Olympics in 1984, they achieved a good result and got quite a lot of coverage in Australia,” Denis said.

“The next year, I started school at Melbourne High and from what I remember, the first sport we did that year was water polo. I was pretty tall for my age, was not a good swimmer but could throw the ball a fair distance.

“I enjoyed the sport for its challenges and its team focus with everyone attacking and defending together. In every sport I played I was a goalie or wicketkeeper, so being a water polo goalkeeper suited me.

Reminiscing on the early days, Denis said he’s grateful for how his start in the sport set him up for a successful career, both in and out of the pool.

“I kind of fell into water polo, but it gave me a chance to live out my boyhood dreams. When I look back at the path I took, I realise how lucky and supported I have been at each stage,” Denis said.

“Yes, there was lots of commitment and effort to get to the place where luck can happen, but there really were so many fortunate events and supportive people who facilitated my journey through water polo as a player, coach and administrator.

“Along with being the vehicle of my sporting dreams, I have been fortunate that water polo has also been the basis of my professional working life, including coaching at all levels of the sport and also administration at State Institute, State Association and National levels.

Since the end of his playing career, Eddie has held a number of professional roles within the sport of water polo, and currently is Assistant Coach of the Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers and General Manager of Water Polo South Australia.

When it comes to managing career transitions, and in Eddie’s case a career in the pool to out of the pool, the advice is simple.

“Be active in your search for what is 'after sport' because the athlete life-span is short, be open to possibilities and utilise the many resources available to you to find their career path - you don't have to be sure about your future career, just be curious and open to opportunities,” he said.

What many people, including athletes, underestimate when transitioning careers is how to manage their finances successfully. 

Changing careers often means people find they’re years or decades behind others in experience, which can impact salaries, savings and superannuation. 

As a result, it’s important to be financially savvy and seek professional advice to ensure your career transition doesn’t impact you long-term.

A coach can help bring out the best in a water polo team, and in a similar way, a financial coach, or adviser, can help bring out the best in your finances and investments.

Future proofing your income and structuring your finances with an adviser will go a long way to planning for your financial future successfully.

A financial adviser can help you set realistic and strategic goals, advise on whether it’s best to pay down any education debt or save for a new home, tax-effective superannuation contributions from your employer, insurance, as well as sound investment strategies.

An adviser can assist you to build a timeline, so you can live the life you want in the short and long term future.