The role of a Chief Transition Guide is to help athletes through the difficult transition from sport to a professional business career. When we began our search for our new Chief Transition Guide, Jaime Komer stood out instantly to us.
At ACT, our mission is to help elite athletes transition through retirement from sport and into a professional business career. Thankfully, Jaime’s mission is a mirror image of our own. Her work for the past ten years has aligned her perfectly to transition into a role with us - to guide athletes though their own personal transitions.
Jaime wants to redirect the conversation around mental wellbeing in sport and to remind athletes they are more than their achievements; they are human beings who are allowed to be vulnerable and real. With her guidance, athletes will receive the emotional and physical support they need to successfully transition through this retirement, and face whatever their future holds.
Find out more about Jaime Komer, our Chief Transition Guide, below:
Jaime, a decorated goalkeeper for USA’s Water Polo team, is not only an Olympic Silver Medalist, two-time World Champion and four-time All-American; she is also a well-established health and wellness coach, empowerment and motivational speaker, and now our Chief Transition Guide!
Jaime’s love for sport started in high school after being inspired by her brothers to play water polo, a completely new sport for her at the time. Unfortunately, there was no female water polo team in her area, so Jaime dove right in and competed on the male team. She instantly fell in love with the sport and found herself thriving in the position of goalkeeper.
Armed with determination and newfound passion, Jaime went on to play at UCLA where her team won three NCAA National Championships and she became a four-time All-American. It was clear that Jaime was talented and driven, and her commitment took Jaime all over the world with USA Water Polo. Jaime won two National Championships while living in Australia and competing in their National League. She has also won championships in Italy and at the Pan-Am Games.
A true force to be reckoned with, Jaime thrived in sport. However, she didn’t feel comfortable or safe enough to express herself authentically, and felt she had to fit a certain mold to succeed as an athlete.
All athletes face the same stigma; that they must be strong, resilient and never show emotion. That they must put the softness of the human nature aside in order to succeed in sport. Yet, it is that very nature which makes us elite athletes. Dehumanizing athletes can leave them emotionally burnt out, questioning who they are, and feeling lost.
Through Jaime’s retirement, her passion for health and wellbeing blossomed. While focusing on healing and caring for her own body, she found herself immersed in a world of wellness. As a certified yoga and Pilates instructor, she realized just how much she enjoyed helping others. Jaime found purpose and meaning in helping others “live a fulfilling life on your terms and thrive in all areas of your well-being, from emotional to physical to relationships and more”. Through her personal healing and self-exploration, she guided others to find their own journey in wellbeing.
Jaime went on to achieve her Master’s in Health and Wellness coaching, and continued to speak at events centered around motivation, living a fulfilling life and empowering others. She began working with elite athletes to focus on their wellbeing, helping them through chosen or forced transitions in life, and created a safe space for athletes to live authentically.
At ACT, we care for the athletes because we once were the athletes. When growing our team, it was key to find someone who truly understood what retiring from sport is like, because it is vital that our athletes feel they have a safe place to be authentically themselves. This is exactly what Jaime Komer brings to the team.
She’s not here to simply check boxes; Jaime is a resource full of tools to help athletes navigate this scary, unknown new world of life after sport. Her focus is the overall well-being of the person who happens to be an elite athlete. She truly understands what it takes to be a competitor, so she is familiar with the societal and personal expectations of athletes. Her goal is to create a safe space for athletes to be genuine humans, to be vulnerable, and to grow. We are proud, we are honored, and we are grateful to have Jaime Komer part of our team here at Athlete Career Transition.